Superjesus - Love and Violence

This EP was released in 2016 and marked Superjesus' return from hiatus following the 2003 release of the Rock Music album.

Come back To Me jumps straight into a rock-solid groove that conjures up images of industrial machines on a grand scale. Then, provided you turn a blind ear to the recording quality faults, the chorus is a great head-banging effort. At first I noticed that it's slower than Superjesus' earlier efforts, but then are there actually any bands that have got faster as they've gotten older??

The final track is a live version of Come Back to Me which is very nice sounding for a live recording (with a minor blemish of some distortion in the tom toms). I really enjoy the slight Scottish lilt of the singer's vocals, and the rawer live version brings it out wonderfully. Therefore I think the live recording actually sounds better than the studio one.

On the other hand, Setting Sun is a dog's breakfast of recording quality. If you can get past this, the pre-chorus and chorus are full of inspirational head-banging goodness. Then, St Peters Lane? No thanks, the lyrics don't resonate at all for me.

All of the stars are perfectly aligned for Love and Violence and the tempo is slightly faster. It all adds up to... you guessed it... great head-banging times.

"Throoooowwwww myseeeeeelf into the sea" is the perfect way to start a great headbanging chorus, let alone the master-stroke of launching straight into this as the song's opening gambit (rather than easing in via a chorus etc). Add in swirling guitars and great lyrical imagery throughout the song, and the result is wall-to-wall brilliance. And that, in a nutshell, is Sea Song.

Audio quality rant

Hmmm, this is going to get ugly... The vocals are over-processed to the point of sounding plasticky, there's a grating harshness to the high-pitched sounds, and there's lots of distortion on the drums and vocals (Setting Sun is terrible for this). Also the tonal balance varies greatly between songs, as if each song was mastered by a different person.

Clutching straws to find a bright side within this dogs breakfast, there's great spaciousness and good balance between the vocals and instruments. But when the nicest sounding song on the disc is a live recording, that's a poor reflection on all of the other songs.

 

Favourite songs

Come Back to Me, Love and Violence, Sea Song, Come Back to Me (live)

 

I diggit? 

Yes. I was already a huge Superjesus fan, and really enjoy this new direction for the band.

The Living End - Shift

Shift is The Living End's seventh album. It was released in 2016, five years after The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating.

Self-indulgent rant incoming: I am unashamedly a massive fan of The Living End. But... if I may quote the Screaming Jets... it's the line "the ones who love you always hurt you the most" that comes to mind here. I have a theory that diehard fans of a band are overly polarised in their judgement of individual songs or albums. By this I mean that if a TLE song crosses the bar of being a decent listen, then I'll proclaim it to be the greatest thing since sliced bread; yet if it only gives me a lukewarm reaction then I'll be dismissing it as utterly terrible. Shift is quite a mix of these two situation so let's see how this pans out...

A few songs would be completely at home on Roll On, such as Death, Up the Junction and One Step. The latter feels too staccato and disjointed, but I guess it does it's job as a quick opening track. Up The Junction hits the nail on the head with brilliantly catchy pub-rock instrumentals, but for me is ruined by the cliched lyrics. Death is a bit disjointed and the chorus is somehow lacking in catchiness, but all of these niggles are forgiven when it comes time for its instrumental bridge, which rocks out brilliantly.

Speaking of previous TLE albums, Monkey's catchy pop fun would fit in seamlessly on State of Emergency. And Life As We Know It is solid riff-rock as per White Noise, although it's not particularly memorable and the "megaphone distortion" effect on the lead vocals is a real turn-off for me.

This distortion afflicts a few songs on this album, which is a shame since the overall recording quality is really good. The bottom end of kick-drum and double-bass have nice clean meat to them (as much as I'd dig some slappy double-bass goodness, it would probably be out of place here), the guitars are crisp with some nice stereo effects and the cymbals are sweet. Keep On Running (which strangely has a harshness to the cymbals) is a highlight for its great use of stereo guitar effects and bonus points for the wonderful blending of the strings.

Several songs remind me of post-1980s U2, which is not a good thing. The worst of them is Wire, particularly the chorus. It's a similar story for With Enemies Like That, which consists of beautiful instruments undermined by a tacked-on chorus and cliched lyrics (in particular, the line "turn on the 8 track, play it 'round again" is somehow a huge let-down for me). Keep On Running is the other way around, where the chorus is a highlight but the verses sometimes leave me cold. The strings are a wonderful addition to the song here. Overall, somehow Keep On Running is a song that on one listen will feel generic and contrived, but another time I will find it utterly inspiring.

Staring Down the Barrel gets off to a great start with the intro (the vocals sound wonderful here), but somehow I find the chorus lacks sparkle. The rest of the song gives off a nice late-80s rock vibe (Bruce Springsteen perhaps?) with the bridge in particular being a wonderful highlight.

So far, most of the praise here has been accompanied by a qualifier. None are needed for Coma, I am very pleased to report. The song has a wonderful sparseness to it, especially the Roxanne-esque guitar. Oh, and the minimalist chorus is a delight. The bridge is quite weird and out of place, but I'm always a fan of that! In a strange back-flip for me, normally I dislike it when songs fade out as an ending, but here I think the refrain disappearing into the distance would have worked a treat. Regardless, Coma is a highlight of the album and the song that immediately comes to mind when I think of Shift.

Favourite songs

Monkey, Coma

I diggit?

After much careful consideration, the verdict I have reached is "meh".

Reverend Horton Heat - Rev

Rev is Reverend Horton Heat's eleventh(!) album. It was released in 2014, five years after Laughin' and Cryin'. I was quite nervous about this album, because Laughin' and Cryin' was such a stinker IMHO.

But thankfully Rev sees the band back in fine form. There's nothing here we haven't heard countless times before, and not just generally speaking about rockabilly, but also many of the songs are very similar to songs on previous Reverend Horton Heat albums.

But that is just fine by me. Victory Lap / Smell Of Gasoline is a pretty close copy of Big Sky / Baddest Of The Bad, but this energetic instrumental rockabilly gets me every time. It's a similar familiarity and enjoyment for Spooky Boots, Scenery Going By, Longest Gonest Man and Chasing Rainbows.

Recording quality? Low-fi seems to be a rockabilly badge of pride, and sadly this one also lives up to the reputation. Flaws include a boomy double-bass and a snare sounds that's being belted mercilessly in a shed somewhere. 

Instrumentally, Never Gonna Stop It is pretty generic (still fantastic, though), but the highlight is the wonderfully provocative lyrics about abuse of government privilege:
They can profit off a deal from a patriotic tax
While sitting on the board of Golden Slacks*
Cheat on their wives with a cute intern
History's lesson they'll never learn
 
Charge us a tax to build a road with a toll
But they're never gonna stop it
Rock and Roll

* Goldman Sachs, of course. But the record label probably didn't want to get sued...

The cheeky double-entendre lyrics of Let Me Teach You How To Eat make for a light-hearted yet engaging pop song. Musically, it gets a bit tired towards the end, but the jokes keep things entertaining. Similarly, the narrative of Hardscrabble Woman are a treat. It perfectly tells the tale of a tomboy who fixes her own pick-up truck and picks bar fights. Not to mention the hillbilly instrumentals, which add a nice bit of variety to the album.

Favourite songs

Victory Lap, Smell Of Gasoline, Never Gonna Stop It, Spooky Boots, Scenery Going By, Let Me Teach You How To Eat, Longest Gonest Man, Hardscrabble Woman, Chasing Rainbows

I diggit?

Strangely, yes. Often when a band churns an album that doesn't cover any new ground, I find myself preferring to just stick to the original. But somehow with Reverend Horton Heat, I'm always keen for more of the same psychobilly goodness.

The Shadows - Greatest Hits

This compilation was released in 2004. It features The Shadows' hits from the early and mid-1960s.

Unusually, this CD contains a mono version and a stereo version of every song. This might sound a bit OCD, but the stereo effect is totally over-used, for example sticking the drums in one ear and the rhythm guitar in another. This can be quite disconcerting (especially when listening through headphones), so the mono version makes sense as a band-aid fix for this.

Given modern day rock albums consist of a million overdubs and chorusing effects, it takes some effort to appreciate the simplistic- almost barren - instrumental style of The Shadows these days. But Apache's richly engaging spaghetti-western feel is well worth the effort. The Savage is more of the same, with the added bonus of a more energetic tempo.

Perhaps more pop-friendly are Man Of Mystery and F.B.I., which are immediately infectious, thanks to incredibly catchy riffs.

However, I find The Stranger and Wonderful Land a bit too inoffensive, like the theme song for daytime TV show. Having said that, the guitar sound in The Stranger is wonderful. Other complaints are the tweeness of the alternate style in The Frightened City and the whistling responses in Stars Fell On Stockton. Both elements are deal-breakers for me.

Ballads in a Hawaiian 6/8 time signature (eg Blue Moon) are a dime a dozen, but somehow Midnight still stands out as having genuine conviction. Another oddball, the Latin-styled Guitar Tango stands out with its vivid texturing and mood.

Finally, the upbeat rock'n'roll energy of Quatermassters Stores is a bit out of character, but a great way to finish.

Favourite songs

Apache, Man Of Mystery, F.B.I., Midnight, The Savage, Guitar Tango, Quatermassters Stores

I diggit?

Yes. It's often hard to appreciate in the modern context of rock music, but it's definitely worth the effort.

Devil Doll- Queen of Pain

Queen of Pain is the 2003 debut album by American band Devil Doll.

To get this out of the way early on, I must say that the recording quality is all over the shop. For example, 16 Days has a thin and strangled sound for the drums and horns; yet the very next song is wonderfully crisp and sounds great. Also, some songs have a lot of boomy low-frequency noise from the kick-drum and double-bass (as it they forgot to run a high-pass filter over it), which is messy and doesn't add anything to the musical experience. This noise also confuses the hell out of CD ripping software, so the resulting mp3/ogg files are frustratingly full of random clipping.

Anyways, St Christopher kicks things off with some great lyrics delivered with an appropriately snarly vocal style. I think the backing instruments are a bit lacklustre (perhaps due to the recording quality), but overall it's an enjoyable tale. You Are The Best Thing And The Worst Thing continues the attitude, with a latin influence nicely thrown into the mix.

The jungle-drum opening gave me high hopes for Heart-Sized Crush, but alas the deadpan vocal style kind of undermines it. Also, the abrupt jumps between sections feel a bit contrived.

It Was Raining takes things into a new direction, in the form of a beautiful and simple ballad. Here we see a much broader range in the vocals, as they brilliantly convey emotions ranging from hushed sorrow to angry shouting to howls of torment.

The moody instrumental setting introduces King Of Brooklyn perfectly. It paints a wonderfully rich landscape, especially the ever-haunting organ. To cap it off, the narrative and lyrics are incredibly powerful. Bourbon In Your Eyes follows a similar recipe, although doesn't quite hit the same heights.

Things You Make Me Do is a bit middle-of-the-road. But the rich instrumental sound, and the ebbs and flows throughout the song, makes for an enjoyable experience.

As for Faith In Love, Buffy The Vampire Slayer isn't my cup of tea. And it isn't rockabilly, so I don't like it!

Speaking of oddball inclusions, Driven To Distraction and Why work well to inject some variety into the album. Liquor Store has an interesting narrative, but I'm not a fan of the slick "jive" style of rock'n'roll.

Queen Of Pain is a great soft blues, absolutely brimming with style and emotion. You Put A Spell On Me would be the same, were it not for the silly distraction of the fast-tempo ending.

The other blues effort, If I Died In Your Arms, is an absolute cracker. There's some very strange audio artifacts at times and the effects are a touch overdone, but nothing can undermine the brilliance of this sparse, yet powerful, blues ballad. Spine-tingling.

Favourite songs

St Christopher, It Was Raining, King Of Brooklyn, Queen Of Pain, Union Square, If I Died In Your Arms

I diggit?

It's a bit hit-and-miss, but the "hits" definitely make it worthwhile.

Bill Haley & The Comets- The Very Best Of

This compilation was released in 1999. It mostly features hits from 1954-1956.

I was under the impression that Bill Haley was a pioneer of the rock'n'roll genre that I very much enjoy. It turns out, however, that the songs are awfully conservative (and often chauvinistic) pop tripe, which happen to have elements of early rock'n'roll.

Occasionally there is an element the rock'n'roll magic, but the overall feeling is that it's a soulless bastardisation of rhythm'n'blues.

To prevent any further whingeing, I won't go into specifics of any songs...

Favourite songs

N/A

I diggit?

No.

Reverend Horton Heat- Laughin' & Cryin'

This is the 10th album from Reverend Horton Heat (RHH). It was released in 2009, five years after Revival.

Right from the start, Drinkin' And Smokin' Cigarettes signifies that the hillbilly influence is more dominant than previous RHH albums. The style doesn't really appeal to me and I find the execution here is quite cheesy. On the bright side, songs like Ain't No Saguaro In Texas, Rural Point Of View and Oh God Doesn't Work In Vegas are enjoyable thanks to their amusing lyrics.

Since psychobilly is more my cup of tea, Death Metal Guys is a welcome change of style. It definitely hits the spot for thoughtful yet headbanging rock, but unfortunately it drags out a bit towards the end.

River Ran Dry is vintage RHH fast-paced rockabilly goodness. There's nothing we haven't heard before, but when it works this well, I have not complaint with it!

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Just Let Me Hold My Paycheck is a woefully clunky and disjointed effort. And I don't have much nice to say about the rest of the album, so I'll stop my moaning here...

Favourite songs

Ain't No Saguaro In Texas, River Ran Dry, Oh God Doesn't Work In Vegas

I diggit?

No. Overall, it's quite a disappointment.

Kitty Daisy & Lewis- self titled

This is the debut album from the band. It was released in 2009.

... although you could be forgiven for thinking it was released over 50 years before that! Going Up The Country, for example, is very nearly Fats Domino reincarnated. The simple, wholesome fun has a special appeal, perhaps now more than ever.

The Fats Domino influence also carries over to the recording quality, unfortunately. I'm sorry for ripping on a home-made recording, but it suffers from several flaws: no bottom end, boomy double-bass, lots of distortion (especially the vocals) and dulled high-pitched sounds. However... although I'd prefer a cleaner sound, thankfully the genre of the music means that it doesn't detract much from the overall enjoyment.

Buggin' Blues is a bit more serious lyrically, but somehow I can't really take it seriously. The music, as per the whole album really, is toe-tapping fun.

On the other hand, Polly Put The Kettle On and Honolulu Rock-A Roll-A brings the lyrics back to pure simplicity. It's a wonderful place to be. And both back this up with wonderfully catchy melodies.

I Got My Mojo Working is also fun. Sorry, for not having anything new to say here, but it's true! While there are subtle shifts in genre between songs, the theme stays very similar. So although this review is getting quite repetitive, the album itself is remains fresh and interesting throughout.

Special mention goes to Mohair Sam for it's brilliant rock'n'roll groove. And to Say You'll Be Mine for the ol' time wholesome fun.

Which pretty much sums up the album. It's a fantastic collection of simple, feelgood tunes. What else can I say?!

Favourite songs

Going Up The Country, Polly Put The Kettle On, Honolulu Rock-A Roll-A, I Got My Mojo Working, Mean Son Of A Gun, Hillbilly Music, Mohair Sam, Say You'll Be Mine

Worthwhile?

Yes! As music seeks to constantly better itself with through complication, who would have thought that such a simplistic and dated approach could be so enjoyable. (sorry for going all philosophical!)

The Vaudevillains- Welcome to the Neighbourhood

This is the first and only album from The Vaudevillains. It was released in 2009, two years after their debut EP.

Thankfully, in that time, they learnt how to end a song properly! Actually, the opening track (Neighbourhood) is the exception. It has some good moments and establishes the mood nicely, but drags out badly towards the end. And the bridge is very strange indeed.

The recording quality is typical sub-par rockabilly fare. It features woofly and double-bass, and a guitar sound robs the big choruses of their power. Technically, the vocalist struggles a bit, however I really enjoy the lyrics, especially to sing along to. Perhaps the reason is that both of us can't sing very well!

Hector Hell introduces a new style of rockabilly ballads for the band. Based around lyrics which tell a brilliant tale, the style is much like a modern day Johnny Cash. And the power chorus works a treat. The rather simple backing music is the perfect accompaniment- setting the mood of driving through a lonely road in the moonlit mangroves.

Similarly, Shadow in the Sun (no relation to the Audioslave song) is another brilliant piece of Johnny Cash-esque storytelling. This song is on high rotation in my car, and it's an all-time favourite singalong song of mine. The appeal for me is how the bouncy rockabilly, contrasts nicely by the dark tale of a lonesome soul.

Things jump up a few gears with Million Miles Away. This psychobilly thrash is bursting with frenetic energy. The verses are itching to explode, and boy does the chorus explode!

Close Your Eyes is a song that I really dig, but I don't know why. On the surface, it's fairly generic, so perhaps its just that it has been executed so well. A highlight for me is the double-bass playing, which is incredibly intricate. The subtle flourishes of the instruments in the background are great, as is the wailing singalong chorus.

Dead March features a great riff for the verses, but somehow it doesn't "sit" right. It kinda feels like the instruments wants a slower tempo, but the vocals are forcing them to rush. The chorus, though, comes together very nicely.

This Time Last Year and Reaper are nicely hyperactive thrashes, as per Million Miles Away.

Trip to the Moon is pretty much unchanged from their EP. But I don't feel ripped off in the slightest, it means I get to enjoy this wonderful song twice as often!

The jazz track Fortune is an oddball inclusion. But it is a nice ballad, and rounds out the album well.

Maybe this is a sign that I listen to too much rockabilly(!), but to me this album has very unique appeal. The poetry is fantastic and, well, I'm just a sucker for almost all things rockabilly!

Speaking of poetry, since the lyrics for Shadow in the Sun are nowhere to be found on the internet, I thought I'd do a community service by documenting them here:
I dodge my shadows in the night.
I live my life like it's a fight.
Well I don't mean to be cold,
But I rather be alone now than dead.

I watch my words when I talk,
Look over my shoulder when I walk.
Well I'm always ready, 
But I don't know what for.

Everyone's got a shadow in the sun.
Might as well face it, cos it's you that cannot run.
It's what you are, not what you will become.

Sometimes I know I can be wrong
Nothin' in life really going on.
Well maybe I don't want to climb too high,
Cos I know that I might fall.

Failure is my greatest fear.
I hear it whisper in my ear.
Well lately I've been feeling
My whole world's really unfair.

Favourite songs

Hector Hell, Shadow in the Sun, Million Miles Away, Close Your Eyes, This Time Last Year, Trip to the Moon, Reaper, Fortune

Worthwhile?

This is one of my all-time favourite albums.

Tiger Army- Music From Regions Beyond

This is Tiger Army's fourth album. It was released in 2007, to furious howls of "sellout" from many of the bands' previous fans. 

Prelude: Signal Return and Hotprowl form a rousing phsychobilly opening. Although it is kinda false advertising for the rest of the album, it sure gets the blood pumping.

Afterworld and Spring Forward retain the action-packed psychobilly musical, overlaying it with soft and poetic lyrics. I reckon the contrast works a treat, like a rockabilly version of decemberunderground. Ghosts of Memory follows the same recipe, with some stunning poetic lyrics. For example:
Faded purfume in a room
Once a sanctuary, now simply a tomb

Forever Fades Away moves more into emo ballad territory (or perhaps "pop goth-punk ballad" if you find the term "emo" insulting...) I really dig it- highlights include the opening riff with hi-hat accompaniment and the perfect pop/headbanging chorus. The rockabilly purists can get stuffed, I'm a big fan of this "AFI with a coiffure" sound. In my book, it makes for the perfect power ballad.

That's not to say there's anything wrong with the bands' traditional sound, as shown by LunaTone. Nothing says I can't like both aspects of the band! LunaTone execute the style very well, although I find that Pain has cheesy lyrics and an awful ringing sound, I think from the cymbals.

While I'm moaning about recording quality, the drum sound throughout the album is quite smeared. Although maybe this is for the best, so that it doesn't sound too "slick" and commercial. The guitar sound is appropriate for the job, and I always love the sound of a double bass.

As the Cold Rain Falls is, objectively, a solid song. However it doesn't speak to me, somehow feeling like the lyrics are disconnected from the music. On the plus side, the chorus is pop/emo brilliance.

Hechizo de Amor is simply beautiful. The Spanish style of both the vocals and the music creates a stunning oddball of a song.

Finally, the icing on the cake is Where the Moss Slowly Grows. As always, the lyrics are brilliant, as is the gentle mood created by the background voices.
Embrace- this joy, this pain
Don't miss this chance, it will not come again.
You mean more than you may ever know.
Don't linger- where the moss slowly grows.

 

Or, as I believe the kids would say... YOLO.

 

Favourite songs

Afterworld, Forever Fades Away, Ghosts of Memory, LunaTone, Hechizo de Amor, Spring Forward, Where the Moss Slowly Grows

Worthwhile?

I must admit I was initially sceptical when reviewing this album, because when listening to it on the train a few times recently, it kinda washed over me without making an impact. But making to the effort to properly concentrate on it has revealed a brilliant album.

Firebird- Buildin' a Hot Rod

This is the debut album from the Australian rockabilly/psychobilly band, which was released in 2006.

Have a guess what the topics discussed in the lyrics of this album are. Hot-rod cars and women? Spot on! Let's start with the hot-rod songs.

All three are pretty similar, so the devil is in the detail. For some reason, Fire Up the Motor sounds like a poor cousin of Stray Cats Built for Speed, so I don't really dig it. Hot Rod Woman (killing two birds with one stone!) doesn't have much of a interesting story to the lyrics, however the chorus is wonderfully catchy.

This leads me to develop a theory about rockabilly songs, if I may. The style has been successfully used so many times over the years, and it is sort of accepted that the verses are just "background fill" while the vocals tell the story. Therefore, to stand apart from the millions of other rockabilly songs, one requires an engaging story to the lyrics and a memorable chorus. Buildin' a Hot Rod features both of these ingredients, and is my pick of the three songs.

Coming close but no cigar is Always Rockin' 88. Musically it is fine, but the self-obsessed lyrics that put me. Also relegated to the millions of solid yet forgettable rockabilly are Lonely Hotel and Back Door Slammin'. Somehow, the slower songs (Local Honky Tonk and Cryin' I'm So Blue) don't appeal to me either, nor does the accented offbeat style of If I Ain't Got You, although I do like its bridge.

By normal standards, the recording quality is mediocre (e.g. muffled cymbals, muddy double-bass, compression sucking away all of the dynamics). Unfortunately it's pretty typical fare for rockabilly albums, though.

I really dig the slower "stoller" style of rockabilly, and Well Alright Well Ok and Vampire hit the nail on the head. Vampire is the perfect execution- a voodoo-esque tale of devillish femme, combined with a brilliant catchy chorus (especially the snappy "vam...PIRE" at the start!). It is my favourite song from the band.

Knock Knock Knockin' is simply great headbanging rock'n'roll goodness. At the other end of the spectrum, the unusual beat of Itchin' Scratchin' is a nice novelty, and makes for a nice moment when it resolves into a "normal" beat.

Overall, since the album sticks to a very well-worn and tightly specified rockabilly style, it isn't easy for an album like this to shine. So while there are many tracks I am happy to skip, those songs that do stand out are very impressive indeed

Favourite songs

Buildin' a Hot Rod, Well Alright Well Ok, Vampire, Knock Knock Knockin', Itchin' Scratchin', Hot Rod Woman

Rocket to Memphis- Swampwater Shuffle

This EP was released in 2007, two years after the band formed.

Although I'm a big fan of the genre of this EP, the execution leaves a bit to be desired. Catwoman and Devil's Ride both have their moments, but also often sound disjointed or clunky. The Jazz Butcher also has some great moments (especially the pre-chorus) but is let down by the contrived, pun-fest lyrics.

Unfortunately, the recording quality is also a mixed bag. And the bad stuff is pretty damn bad- muddy sound and poor balance of instruments. The worst affected by this is Devil's Ride.

The "stroller" style of rock'n'roll always appeals to me, so I quite dig Voodoo Twist. The harsh reality is probably that it's a mediocre execution of the style, and that I'm easily pleased by songs of this style...

What Kind of Man, though, stands on its own as a solid song. The lumpy style is nicely maintained through the song, and perfectly matches the bittersweet lyrics.

Favourite songs

What Kind of Man, Voodoo Twist

Worthwhile?

No. Clearly, the band were still finding their feet at the time of this EP.

Vaudevillains- Vaudevillain Nights

Has it really been 7 years since 2007 already?! It seems like only yesterday that these kids were emerging on the local scene with a fresh take on rockabilly. And this is their debut EP.

Across the CD, the highlight is definitely the storytelling of the lyrics. It's wonderfully illustrative and moody, also nicely intriguing (I'm a big fan of lyrics I don't understand!). Unfortunately, another common theme is terrible endings. Often they are drawn out and fit awkwardly with the rest of the song.

The title track, is case in point. Focussing on the good stuff, the lyrics brilliantly paint a picture of a wild, hedonistic carnival scene. And the music itself is toe-tappingly catchy, with a great riff.

It's interesting to compare this CD to my previous review of Joe Cocker. The style of Joe Cocker isn't something I'd normally dig, so for the song The Letter to appeal to me is an incredible achievement. On the other hand, rockabilly is right up my alley, so perhaps even the most mediocre rockabilly song would score a rave review from me? Hmm, I wonder...

Which brings me to Ill Motivation and Werecar. To damn them with humble praise, both are just solid songs without any real highlights (except, perhaps, the catchy chorus of Werecar). But, probably due to the genre, I still really enjoy them.

To quickly mention the poor recording quality... well... on the bright side the vocals have a haunting quality that works a treat. But otherwise it sounds like some guys where hanging out in a garage drinking beers, and then spontaneously decide to record some times (possibly after the sound engineer had enjoyed a few too many beers...). But this is the first-up effort for an indie band, so I shouldn't get too precious about it.

Trip to the Moon is a fantastic story, and has great music. I really dig the unusual use of the snare drum throughout the verses, which contrasts nicely with the more conventional drum pattern for the chorus. Add the hillbilly bassline and the spacious guitar, and it makes for great music. As for the lyrics, they recount one's battle with his inner demons in a wonderfully poetic style:
This time alone inside my head,
This time alone is all I dread.
And maybe it's the only thing to do.

This evil isn't make-believe
It steals my thoughts, it haunts my dreams
And maybe it's the only thing to do:
Take a trip to the moon.

Devil Drives a Valiant is a musical version of a Tarantino film. There is no cooler story than a demonic femme drag racing at night on deserted country roads in a 70s muscle car. With a catchy little tune to back it up, it is rockabilly perfection.
Side by side, we run on down the track
Beaten again, she must run under 10 flat
I said "damn demon, that's quick for a six",
She said "I'm the devil, you know I've got my tricks"

Favourite songs

Vaudevillain Nights, Trip to the Moon, Devil Drives a Valiant

Worthwhile?

Yep. Garage rockabilly is a guaranteed winner in my book!

Chuck Berry- Ultimate Collection

This compilation (of perhaps the most influential pioneer of rock'n'roll) was released in 1991. 

Maybellene is more of a history lesson that a song for me, and features a strong hillbilly influence. The highlight is the lyrics, proving that a rock'n'roll song can't go wrong with a story about cars... especially when it involves chasing down the girl in a Cadillac!

Proving that rock music has been sticking it to The Man since the beginning is Roll Over Beethoven. While it's just a fun, catchy song these days, back in the 1950s, denouncing classical music must have raised some conservative eyebrows. Somehow this rebellion make the song timeless for me, sure the technology sounds very dated, but it remains a cracker of a rock'n'roll song.

Speaking of technology, the sound is... ahem... "vintage" at best. It does improve as the album moves to more recent songs, but generally the vocals are distorted, the bassline is barely heard and the guitar is very thin. I realise that ripping on songs recorded in the 1950s is a bit rough, but I don't think the age should excuse stuff like distorted vocals, weird echoes and silly stereo placement.

School Days feels more like a sped-up blues, and doesn't really appeal to me. Maybe this is a failing on my part though, that I can't appreciate a song if it doesn't have a catchy singalong chorus?! Back in the USA is more clear cut- the mintrel-boy backing vocals are a deal-breaker for me.

The wonderful interplay of the guitar, piano and bassline is used to perfection in Little Queenie. Somehow the lyrics don't resonate with me, but the groove makes it a good song nonetheless. This is proved by Sweet Little Rock'n'roller, which is elevated into the stratosphere with just a few small changes. The brilliant lyrics invoke strong images out of the movie American Graffiti, in particular my favourite phrase is:
Ten thousand eyes were watching them leave the floor
Five thousand tongues were screaming "more, more"

Sweet Little Sixteen also successfully rides this formula, although I do find that most of the song lacks the frenetic energy that makes Chuck Berry great. Somehow it feels a bit too "cruisy". Although it does make for great contrast, as the song kicks up a gear brilliantly for the chorus.

As much as I enjoy the three aforementioned songs, the elephant in the room is their lyrics represent adults fawning at teenage girls. This is a really disgusting part of rock'n'roll's "bad boy" image, and these days an awkward element of otherwise fantastic songs.

Interestingly, the sound of Promised Land is more modern, mainly due to the crisp recording of the drums (as opposed to sounding like they're in a room across the hall!). Unfortunately, this means they often drown out the wonderful guitar and piano parts, which I would much prefer to hear. And in another example of newer not necessarily being better, tales of plane trips aren't nearly as evocative as stories about interstate train trips or hotted-up cars!

As a young child, Rock'n'roll Music was one of my favourite songs (I am so lucky that my parents otherwise daggy music collection included some Chuck Berry and Bill Haley). These days, though, I find this song too self-referential and twee. On the other hand, No Particular Place to Go is very impressive that it can maintain a great groove, despite being so stop-start. And the chorus of Nadine provides wonderful contrast to the usual Chuck Berry style.

The French influence of You Never Can Tell is a masterstroke, with the crackly piano blending perfectly with the rhythm'n'blues horn lines. The lyrics are brilliant in that the events they describe are nothing special, yet the story is absolutely captivating.

For me, the "ultimate" Chuck Berry is Johnny B. Goode. The usual ingredients of brilliant guitar, piano and bassline are all present, and the song ticks along with great energy for the verses. But then it absolutely explodes for the chorus, like the frenetic call of a crazy man egging on someone who is even crazier! This is primal rock'n'roll at its mad best.

Favourite songs

Roll Over Beethoven, Sweet Little Rock'n'roller, You Never Can Tell, Johnny B. Goode 

Worthwhile?

Chuck Berry is a must-have part of any rock'n'roll collection.

Reverend Horton Heat- Spend a Night in the Box

This is Reverend Horton Heat's sixth album. It was released in 2000, between Holy Roller and Lucky 7.

On a personal note, I purchased this album a long time after the other other Reverend Horton Heat (RHH) albums. It turns out that the song which began my interest in RHH wans't actually on the other albums; my first encounter with the band was many years ago, when I heard Girl in Blue on the radio late one night. Years later, I stumbled across the note I'd scribbled about the song at the time, yet I was leaning towards ignoring it. Surely I had "enough" great music from the band, and I probably had a few songs of similar quality to the mysterious Girl in Blue? Despite this, eventually I backflipped, and bought the album.

And thankfully that purchase proved that too much Reverend Horton Heat is never enough!

Spend a Night in the Box is a wonderful rock'n'roll ditty. The cheeky story is perfectly complemented by the bouncy music, complete with some great hooks. Sleeper Coach Driver is similar, and also a favourite. Its highlights are the tale of a humble bus driver contrasting with the proud chorus. Also, the honky-tonk piano works a treat.

Big D Boogie Woogie doesn't quite float my boat. Somehow it seems like the song is building up to something musically, but it never quite gets there.

Regarding my first taste of RHH, Girl in Blue is indeed a wonderful song, one of my all-time favourites. Most obviously, the guitar riff is incredible. The style is also special- a superb mix of slammin' psychobilly and smoother jazz. I don't often find guitar solos memorable, but the interplay between this solo and the song structure in the background is really special. Nicely illustrative lyrics, too. Is there anything I've forgotten to rave about? In summary, every aspect and moment of this song is outstanding.

Speaking of jazz, Hand it to Me works well to calm things down for a little while. Although I am biased, since I'm a sucker for hammond organ! Returning to rock'n'roll, unfortunately the groove of I'll Make Love is destroyed by all the stop-starts. However, it does have a very good chorus.

It Hurts Your Daddy Bad perfectly combines flowing elements (the smooth verses) and stompin' elements (the with slammin' rockabilly chorus). The lyrics tell the tale of deception with great imagery. A highlight for me is the false ending, making us appreciate the treat of the song rolling along for a little while longer.

The recording quality is perfectly adequate unless you're specifically listening for it. Closer inspection reveals that the kick-drum can get lost underneath the double-bass and the guitar can sound hollow. On the plus side, the character of the double-bass comes through nicely the snare sound (an eternal quest for audio engineers) is punchy yet characterful, and the cymbals are particularly sweet.

The light-hearted tales return with The Bedroom Again. Just as I'm not sure whether the lyrics are serious in their suggestion of reinstating the bedroom, it's hard to tell whether the song is genuine hillbilly, or a bit tongue-in-cheek. Personally, I like the mystery. 

The whimsical tale King tells a nice story, but is slightly let-down by a lacklustre chorus. Similarly, The Millionaire is a solid instrumental, but it doesn't grab me, for reasons unknown.

I'm a big fan of stroller-style songs, and Whole Lotta Baby fits the bill perfectly. As an added bonus, it's amusingly unusual for a song of this style to have lyrics that are basically "I like big butts, and I cannot lie".

The combination of surreal circus-synth with psychobilly works a treat for Unlucky in Love. While we're down the rabbit hole, The Party in Your Head is perhaps the world's only prog-rock psychobilly hybrid! Similarly, the lyrics are nicely obscure, although I have no idea what "carpet bagger" means... and perhaps it's better that way??

Favourite songs

Spend a Night in the Box, Sleeper Coach Driver, Girl in Blue, It Hurts Your Daddy Bad, Whole Lotta Baby, Unlucky in Love 

Worthwhile?

A brilliant album, in many regards. This album is a highlight, even amongst all of the Reverend Horton Heat albums.

Casino Rumblers- Black Holiday

This 2006 release is Casino Rumbler's second EP. It follows their debut EP, released about 3 years earlier.

While I'm generally a fan of all things rock'n'roll, somehow psychobilly doesn't often do it for me. So it's a tough ask for this CD to earn a rave review. I actually quite like it went the band is slamming away at full noise. However, all the breaks and contrasting sections somehow kill the groove of Black Holiday and Baby It's Time For a Dry Martini for me. Also, I somehow find the songs a bit contrived, like a caricature of themselves.

The horns cop a raw deal; they only get cameo appearances and the sound is over-processed and lacking top-end bite. Otherwise, though, the recording quality is very good, with meaty bass, crunchy guitars and crisp vocals.

The news is much better for the instrumental Dia De Los Muertos. I find it to be brilliantly moody and seamlessly transitioning between aggressive and mysterious and aggressive. It would fit perfectly on a Tarrantino soundtrack- which is another way of saying it's fantastic!

Favourite songs

Dia De Los Muertos

Worthwhile?

No.

Fire Underground- Untitled

Back then this EP was released, the rock band Fire Underground was consisted of vocals, drums, guitar and clarinet. Do you spot something unusual here? No, not that! (clarinet) It's actually the lack of a bass guitar, so the sound is quite unique.

The way I received this CD is a story in itself. Standing outside the venue at the end of a Living End concert was a young guy giving out free CDs saying "come see our band". Seems like a great way to spread the word about your band. I wonder if the equivalent these days would be something like a bluetooth transfer of a free song onto your iPhone?

So, anyway, I will now proceed to look a gift horse in the mouth...

Big band swing and early rock'n'roll are cited as Fire Underground's influences, but to my ears it's closer to The White Stripes and The Vasco Era. 

As for the recording quality, it's a tough ask on a small budget with 50% of a typical rock band missing. There's always going to be compromises trying to achieve a full sound, but for me it's mainly that the lack of a bass guitar becomes obvious once the drummer switches from the boomy toms. Overall, I think it's a fine effort to make the most of what's available. In fact, after acclimatising to it, it's just something different and allows the drums and guitar more "space" to have a characterful sound. Also, the sound is refreshingly unprocessed, which perfectly suits the garage-band style.

Chase Scene heavily relies on a couple of simple riffs, but the driving energy carries it through well. And the clarinet is a nice touch. Speechless is more of the same goodness.

Due to the style of simple repeated riffs, I find the songs need interesting lyrics to hold my attention. Therefore the verses of Bam Bam Pt 1 don't work for me. The chorus, however, is brilliantly catchy and energetic. On the other hand,
School's Out has much more interesting verses. The only area it falls short of garage rock perfection is that the chorus doesn't really stand out. Perhaps combining the two songs would be a recipe for an instant classic...

Apologies to the band, but my favourite song on this EP is a cover. Can't Judge a Book is an excellent interpretation of the Bo Diddley classic. The original's excellent lyrics work a treat alongside Fire Underground's raucous garage-rock delivery.

Favourite songs

Chase Scene, Can't Judge a Book, Speechless

Worthwhile?

Far from being a stepping stone for an up-and-coming band, this CD is a unique and enjoyable listen in its own right.

Fats Domino- The Essential Fats Domino

This Greatest Hits album, released in 2003, covers the peak of Domino's career through the 1950s and into the early 1960s.

Although I appreciate the huge of influence Fats Domino in many of the rock'n'roll bands I enjoy today, personally I find much of his music very dated. Blueberry Hill, Ain't That a Shame (basically the same song at a faster tempo...), So Long, etc sound too "homely" these days. And much of the later songs are cheesy throwaway pop songs- such as I'm in Love Again, I Want to Walk You Home and Whole Lotta Loving- with generic lyrics and tacky horn lines. The worst offender is Walking to New Orleans, thanks to its awful tacked-on strings.

Surprisingly, it's better news regarding the audio quality. The CD doesn't mention remastering, but most of the songs are nicely crisp (with the strange exception of The Fat Man).

Now for the good stuff! You'll see a long list below of energetic rhythm and blues (or perhaps early rock'n'roll, seems like a grey area to me) songs. For me, the boogie woogie piano and countermelody lines from the saxophone are highlights. Let the Four Winds Blow is a bit simplistic, but has a very catchy chorus. Blue Monday features a fantastic groove and a bit more experimentation than usual. And the supporting horn lines in Jambalaya (on the bayou) work a treat.

Favourite songs

Going to the River, Please Don't Leave Me, Blue Monday, I'm Walking, I'm Ready, Be My Guest, My Girl Josephine, Let the Four Winds Blow, Jambalaya (on the bayou)

Worthwhile?

Compared with the range of Fats Domino's songs, my window of enjoyment is quite narrow. However, within this window, there is lots of fun to be had.

Reverend Horton Heat- Revival

Revival is the 8th studio album from Reverend Horton Heat. It was released in 2004, two years after Lucky 7.

Let's start with the title track, because I find the instrumental opener (The Happy Camper) too twee. The song Revival sets a great mood. Perhaps it wanders around aimlessly at times, but the driving energy combined with the ebbs and flows make it an enjoyable listen. Rumble Strip uses a similar approach to good effect. It creates a solid rock'n'roll song (about a car, of course!) with a nice hint of country music stylings.

None of the four ballads (Someone in Heaven, Honky Tonk Girl, Lonesome Man and We Belong Forever) appeal at all. I'm not sure how they're different to the fantastic Or Is It Just Me (from It's Martini Time), yet I somehow find them worlds apart. If It Ain't Got Rhythm is a bit more upbeat musically, however the awful chorus is a deal-breaker for me, and the stop-start nature makes it more of a novelty than a song you can properly get into. My final whinge(!) is New York Girls. In isolation, it's not a bad song. However, I find it to be a poor cousin of Hurts Your Daddy Bad from their previous album.

The news is better regarding recording quality, with the CD sounding pretty good and the instruments being very nicely balanced. Minor quibbles is that the bass guitar is a bit boomy and the kick-drum lacks some meat. Otherwise, the guitar has wonderful character and the cymbals are sweet little punctuations.

Now for the fast stuff! My favourite songs on this album are all simple upbeat numbers. Nothing very innovative, but great fun. The rock'n'roll energy of Callin' in Twisted gets me bouncing every time. Similarly, Octopus Mode is highly infectious (I suspect it is a cover, but apparently the internet says not). The fantastic lyrics lead to mental images of very immature dance moves!  

Indigo Friends leans more towards headbanging psychobilly, and executes it very well, although it does drag out a bit at the end. Goin' Back Home would be a riot in a moshpit, unfortunately this energy doesn't translate well to the CD. Back to the rock'n'roll, Party Mad is another derivative yet highly enjoyable tune, with the piano part working well to give it a unique element.

Favourite songs

Callin' in Twisted, Indigo Friends, Octopus Mode, Party Mad

Worthwhile?

Hmmm. There's a much narrower range of enjoyment than the other Reverend Horton Heat albums. I really dig their style, but this album wouldn't really be missed.

Johnny Cash- The Essential Johnny Cash

Although a "Best Of", Johnny Cash was still producing new material well after this double CD was released in 2002. This album mainly features his early hits from 1955-1970, plus a handful of songs from 1970-1996.

Up front, I must admit that his signature style of rockabilly/folk isn't really my cup of tea. So rather than being a competent execution of a style I enjoy, every song on the (impressively long) list of "Favourite Songs" below has worked hard to earn my its place.

Recording quality? Well, don't set your hopes too high for these very old recordings. It's got a similar lack of highs, lows and dynamics as Buddy Holly Greatest Hits album, which ended up with a "low-fi" grade from me recently. But Johnny Cash's style is more dominated by the vocals and acoustic guitars, so it's more forgiving on the recording quality (also it lacks some of the obvious flaws of the Buddy Holly record). One thing that stands out is that the female vocals are lacking any top-end, but another standout it that Johnny Cash's vocals are wonderfully powerful and full of emotion.

The album has 38 songs, so to avoid another TLDR post, I'll just focus on the ones I like...

I Walk The Line is pretty generic musically, for me it is carried by the fantastic lyrics. The more sorrowful There You Go also uses this recipe to good effect. Man in Black (a later song- released in 1979) is a similar style, but with more musical sophistication thanks to the chord progressions and build-ups within the song. And the lyrics remain just as insightful and poetic as the earlier hits.

The oddball inclusion of the mariachi trumpet on Ring of Fire is a masterstroke, and combines with Cash's other strength to create a standout song. Guess Things Happen That Way reminds me of Bob Dylan, as is well executed. All Over Again provides some great contrast with its upbeat feel.  Fulsom Prison Blues is, of course, a classic. However I'm not a fan of this live recording- much of the power is missing from his vocals. Sunday Morning Coming Down gives a wonderfully vivid view of the world through a hangover.

Duets don't normally appeal to me, but again Cash breaks the rules! The melancholy It Ain't Me Babe and Jackson both work a treat, with the irony of a duelling couple combining to produce beautiful art a highlight in itself. On the other hand, even the lovesong duet If I Were a Carpenter manages to feel heartfelt, rather than the saccharine tackiness that often afflicts duets.

Another style that rarely appeals to me is spoken word. But The Ballad of Ira Hayes and Ragged Old Flag are both highly emotive. In particular, Ragged Old Flag is incredibly inspiring, give me the shivers down my spine. Similarly,
Song of the Patriot tugs at the heartstrings, with brilliant phrases such as
I don't believe in violence, I'm a God-fearing man. 
But I'd stand up for my country just as long as I could stand.

Musically, I also enjoy Song of the Patriot, thanks to the more sophisticated composition of this later recording. The extra instruments aren't a distration, they perfectly complement the inspiring lyrics.

On a lighter note, The One on the Right is on the Left, A Boy Named Sue and One Piece at a Time are great little comedy interludes.

Finally, the more modern recordings show a wonderful evolution of Cash's style. Slightly more sophisticated musically, they also add an army of backing instruments without the usual result of feeling like a tacky addon. (Ghost) Riders in the Sky is brilliantly moody and illustrative. Similarly, The Wanderer is a winning combination of (carefully restrained use of) modern electronics and Cash's haunting yet powerful voice.

This incredible voice earned Cash a highly successful career covering 58 years. This compilation proves the lifelong success is thoroughly deserved.

Favourite songs

I Walk the Line, There You Go, Guess Things Happen That Way, All Over Again, Ring of Fire, It Ain't Me Babe, The One on the Right is on the Left, Jackson, Fulsom Prison Blues, A Boy Named Sue, If I Were a Carpenter, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Man in Black, Ragged Old Flag, One Piece at a Time, (Ghost) Riders in the Sky, Song of the Patriot, Highwayman, The Wanderer

Worthwhile?

Just look at the size of that list above!