Vince Lightning & the ThunderBoltZ

Veni Vidi Vincey   digital, limited-edition vinyl

(Lightning Records)

The Lieutenant ripped the dispatch from the printer and ran to the chief's office.

"Chief! Chief!"

The grizzled 30-year veteran looked up from his paperwork. "Boy, you know better than to come runnin' in here..."

"But this is BIG!" His hand shaking, the aide handed his boss the dispatch.

"VINCE LIGHTNING?!" The chief nearly fell off his chair. "AND THE THUNDERBOLTZ?!"

His shoulders slumped, the Chief trudged to the window. "Real peaceful little town, we used to have..."

Just as alarm is triggered in Squaresburg, excitement rockets in cool precincts. Vince and dive-battering colleagues specialize in lofty- volume Rock'n'Roll that knows how best to incorporate the lessons of Union Ave. and of later rip-and-stitch sects. (Dig: Swervy licks torn off in "Pop Star Egos" evidence Mistah Johnny's evergreen impact.)

Recommended: "Stuck On Amber," "Jealousy (Is Killing Me)," "Teenage Rebellion," "Pop Star Egos," "Too Much Beer and Cigarettes," "What's Your Name," "Can't Let Go," "In Another World"

Videos: "Stuck On Amber"   "Jealousy (Is Killing Me)" (live in Bromley)   "Too Much Beer and Cigarettes"

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The Lincolns

Do You Remember   digital and physical

(Trater Records)

It was in 2020 that Trater issued these Australian Teds' most recent disc. But the sideburned chain-swingers have since continued burning down houses in steady roadwork. (Forthcoming stage-demolitions are scheduled.) If any non-rocker mistakenly walked into a rave-up gig, they'd surely leave all shook up by the swinging drug called Bopaphine.

Recommended: "Boogiefried," "Mama Don't Like It," "Cry Cry Cry," "Honey Bee" "All the Tears She Cried," "Two Parts Whiskey," "Voodoo Doll"

Videos: "Mama Don't Like It"   "All the Tears She Cried"   "Two Parts Whiskey"

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LenneBrothers Band

Boogie Woogie Queen   best of compilation

(AGR Television Records)

"Doin' what we love, and lovin' what we do / We hold onto that way of life as long as we are able to!" exults main voice/piano player Ele Koch, early on in "Far from the Charts." Such lot is familiar to many toiling admirably in roots genres -- too cool for the mainstream. They slog on, though, for their love for sounds birthed in days of white walls and I Like Ike lashes them on. 

As Prof. Drainpipe-Trousers might impart, the LenneBrothers Band rose quickly in the 2017 wake of the famed LenneRockers. Ele and Teddy Koch presumably had way too much of the good stuff surging through their hearts to call it a day. So, back in the saddle again. And if you can't dance, they're gonna show you how.

(Included w/disc is 20-page booklet.)

Recommended: "High-Class Lady," "Crazy Heart," "Rocky Road Blues," "Scandinavian Rock," "Far from the Charts," "Women, Booze, and Rock'n'Roll," "Mississippi Delta Blues," "She's a Reb," "Try Hard, Dig Deep, Break Through," "Crazy Little Teddy Girl," "Boogie Woogie Queen," "Hot Rod Baby" (live)

Videos: "High Class Lady" (video by NIKI)   "Far from the Charts" (2009 video)   "She's a Reb"   "Crazy Little Teddy Girl"   "Boogie Woogie Queen"   

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Quentin Scott Jones & QDK

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(ITP Entertainment)

Having flashed homicidal Rockabilly chops with Voice Above All Voices RG -- as well as with Golden Age sensation Charlie Gracie and major-rank bopstormers The Rockats -- Quentin digs savagely into more contemporary stylings. The results are equally brass-knuckled and knowingly infectious in superior Pop sway; Quentin's partners Dave Uosikkinen (drums/vocals) and Kenny Aaronson (bass/vocals) -- of Hooters and Yardbirds renowns, respectively -- rally to the crusade as champions of especial skills.

Recommended: "Cold Cold Cold," "Make That Love," "Here Comes My Baby," "She's So Good," "One Last Ride"

Videos: "Cold Cold Cold"   "Here Comes My Baby"   "One Last Ride"

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Dukes of Tijuana

Scary Mary

(Western Star)

Demented Are Go doghouse-basher Grischa Dördelmann can also be found in the Dukes; his participation is basically a Seal of Psycho Approval. A general 1980s approach is evident in the roar and rumble that hulking Grischa et al drive home in their third waxing. From maniac guitar devastations, to skins pummeled so severely they seem about to rip into shreds, to a main throat whose owner probably crunches windshield glass between incisers and canines, each sinister stomp is lovingly scarred and thrown in indiscriminate avalanche. Get shellacked.

Recommended: "Nightmare," "Body Bag," "Eventually," "Old No. 7," "Sometimes It Kills Me Being Lonely," "Raving Mad," "Scary Mary"

Videos: "Nightmare"   "Eventually"   "Sometimes It Kills Me Being Lonely"   "Scary Mary"

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Bear Family

Various Artists

Wreckin' the Decades - Volume 4

(Western Star)

Variations in quality being common to various-artist compendiums, exactly that can be anticipated here, though with the good news that plusses predominate. Uncoiling and lashing here are factors characteristic to Alan Wilson's Western Star stable -- including dire topics, rampageous rhythms, brown-paper-wrapper smuttiness, and doghouse-smackaround crownings. 

Recommended: "The Jolly Collier" (The Coal Dust Cowboys), "Billy Turned Psycho" (Dukes of Tijuana), "Living Dead Girl" (The Rock-It Dogz), "Undead Doll" (The Surfin' Wombatz), "Offski Boogie" (Henry & the Bleeders), "Freddie's Luck" (El-Camino), "Three-Holed Electric Love Doll" (The Coal Dust Cowboys),  "Washed Out" (Dukes of Tijuana), "B-Movie Killer Porno Queen" (The Bad Roaches), "The Undertaker's Girl" (Stage Frite), "Decapitate the Establishment" (El-Camino)

Videos: "The Jolly Collier"   "Billy Turned Psycho"   "Undead Doll"   "Decapitate the Establishment"

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The Coal Dust Cowboys

Dukes of Tijuana

Henry & the Bleeders

Manos Wild

The Trouble with Love

(Velvet Records HMR)

Lyrical scribes across world ages have striven to portray the emotional bondage toward which humans eagerly submit -- knowing of cruel tolls it often exacts -- but none succeeded above modern-day song-pensmen. Grecian Manos -- long celebrated for hunka-hunka microphone wildcatting that borders coolest madness -- settles comfortably in brisk bops and moving orchestral arrangements to muse, lament, and luxuriate in passions poets painted.

Recommended: "That's the Trouble with Love," "I Got Burned," "I Live for You," "Thank You Darling," "Mister Loneliness," "You'll Never Know What You're Missing," "Poor Loser," "Now There's Only Me," "Without You," "The Fool of the Year"

Videos: "I Live for You"   "Thank You Darling"   "Mister Loneliness"   "You'll Never Know What You're Missing"   "Poor Loser"

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Attack of the Rockin' Zombies   digital

(Blue Century Records)

"Who's this crazy wise guy, said Rock'n'Roll was dead?," demands Billy Taylor, in an agile exploit accompanied by similarly spooky renderings purveyed by hep creepy-crawlies. "I'm the monster Rock'n'Roll," growls Freddie Pinkhard, in guest turn with snap combo Billy Ford and the Thunderbirds, personifying the culture-jarring creature that knocked stultifying straighties flat off their tintypes. In some undefinable manner, primitive ambiance intensifies playfully eerie character.

Recommended: "Zombie" (The Salmas Brothers), "Screamin' Ball (At Dracula Hall)" (The Duponts), "Wombie Zombie" (Billy Taylor & the Teardrops), "Night of the Vampire" (The Moontrekkers),  "Youngster Meets Monster" (Danny Zellas Rockers), "Janie Made a Monster" (The Fabulous Five), "Rockin' Zombie" (The Crewnecks)

Videos: "Screamin' Ball (At Dracula Hall)"   "Wombie Zombie"   "Janie Made a Monster"   "Rockin' Zombie"

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The Roughnecks

Guess Who

(Tombrero)

Listeners get both roundhouse wallops and affably tuneful come-ons. Guess Who first glimpsed daylight as a 12" in 2017, via Drunken Monkey Records. Last year, Tombrero reintroduced it to ears as a digital offensive; that same year saw the German ramrods rip straight into cerebra at Santa Susanna, Spain's Psychobilly Meeting festival. (The previous year, they'd tipped hats to 40 years and counting.) Songs' trajectories benefit from unanticipated avenues.

Recommended: "The Sleeper," "Guess Who," "Flying," "RWTD"

Videos: "Guess Who"   "Flying"

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The Real Gone Trio

Psycho Rockabilly Est. 2016 (remastered) / Journey Into Mictlan

(Self-Issued)

For all Psycho-Rockabilly's headlong dash in excellent directions -- and, were it standing alone, cash registers pressed into frequent service would surely expire -- Journey into Mictlan surpasses it in both style and substance. Owing to platters like this, Earth is probably getting an intergalactic reputation as a party planet.

Psycho-Rockabilly Recommended: "Intro / Trouble," "Where Did My Baby Go," "Rock It"

Video: live "Intro / Trouble" "Where Did My Baby Go" (live, 2018)  

Journey to Mictlan Recommended: "Going Down," "Tell Me That You Love Me," "Real Gone Cluster," "Why Don't You Go Away," "Out the Door," "Picking in A," "Propane and Propane Accessories," "Tell Me," "Cannibal Beach," "Again," "Where Did My Baby Go"

Videos: "Real Gone Cluster"   "Out the Door"   "Propane and Propane Accessories"

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The Palatinos

Dependably rugged stylings in slapback example are juiced by melodies exotic, draping the familiar in peculiar resplendence. Picture snake-charmers jiving across Eastern lands -- turbans on top, creepers on bottom.

Videos: "Midnight Drive-In Show"   "High Strangeness,"   "Blue Stars"   "Black Rose Trouble"

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Danny Dean's Tennessee project   

Come and listen to a story in which highly polished panache shimmers, one with crazy-legged verve in bouncy abundance.

The swanky, suit-and-tie rockin' popularized in the Ike era by Bill Haley and Freddie Bell still vivifies gymnastic dance couples. Golden State-scene habitué of best repute Danny Dean can easily be counted among select contemporary vocalists whose technical capability mark them as exceptional. 

A singer of boundless scope, he is an artist while many others are mere craftsmen. Classy hepcat Danny has re-imagined Cliff Richard, Marty Wilde, The Cure, and Adam Ant - in addition to setting loose his own wellspring of in-pocket creativity. 

All around the striking progeny of California's 1980s Punk underground - when he jumps into crazy-man-crazy action - saxes blare, guitars cut nimble dance-patterns, and 88s go straight to Hep Town like it's the only home they know.

Tidings come now of the man's fresh doings:

"Jeff Moleski was in town from New York getting our new Tennessee studio Rockwell Recording in order," Danny revealed in an August Facebook note. "Still a lot of construction ahead," he added.

"We already have people waiting to get in to record. Amazing. We have a beautiful classic Trident 80B mixing console - one of the top four best. We also have Sony MCI JH-24 track tape machines, as well as pro tools."

 

In response to this writer's subsequent query, Danny elaborated. "It's still under construction, probably won't be done for another year. We almost have the control room done."

Casting gaze rearward --

A 1979 high schooler, Southern Californian Danny was among teenagers who found themselves forever altered by the Ramones, as well as by other DIY notables of the era. Similarly affected was guitarist Gary Kail (now sadly departed). Danny recalls the two undertook the majority of their new group Anti's efforts, which included everything from managerial duties to promotional ones, in addition to gigging. 

 

 

The upstart group distinguished itself in the region's storied shambolic milieu (which had in addition produced the Circle Jerks and Black Flag), by bannering broadsides against government corruption and news media lies, as well as by protesting warfare and urging world peace. 

Anti's twin-barreled acerbitude can be dug via 2023 full-length The Future is the Past (Dr. Strange Records). 

(Danny's later eral affiliations included Easter, Mood of Defiance, and Zurich.)

 

Danny in Easter time

In more recent years, we've witnessed Danny's evolution. He's assumed the persona of a long-legging, finger-snapping hepster daddy. As such, he's equally likely to tear Jazzy Rockbop into coolio shreds as to sweep he-and-she pairings onto shores amore, via crooning par excellence.

 

 

 

 

 

Turning mind to the yet-uncompleted Rockwell Recording, one anticipates many recordings -- both gripping and meritorious -- will soon result when control of fine machinery is exercised by Danny, whose name is already synonymous with Rock'n'Roll impeccability.

 

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Videos: "Be Free" (Anti)   "Manhattan Boy" (Easter"   "D in Love" (Danny Dean and the Homewreckers)   "Bettie's Kiss" (Danny Dean and the Homewreckers)

 

 

Danny and fellow Homewrecker Gavin Jones

The Kingshakes

Hard Knocks

(Milkshake Records)

High-octane go-juice (laced with some under-the-counter substance) gushed straight from the pump into these bopification implements - of that, one feels confident. Those words are in no manner intended to slight the fracture-daddies wielding said jive tools; indeed, it is through their knowing administration that eardrums the globe over have been turned inside-out and upside-down - to owners' gratification.

The combo issued three singles besides this 2024 maiden wax: "Those Lips" (2024), "Car 89" (2024), and "Rockabilly Gay Bar" (2026).Also issued was 2024 EP Back Tracks.

Recommended: "Gunnin for the Dog," "Hardknocks," "Hooker" (Sharks forever!), "Bye Bye Girl," "Breakaway," "Lookin' Back," "Do Bad Things," "Down the Dust Pipe," "You Belong to Me," "Big Boys"

Videos: "Gunnin' for the Dog"   "Breakaway" (live)   "Big Boys"

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The Horny Wackers and the epileptic reaction

Top of the Garbage   vinyl and digital

(Self-issued)

From behind the tricolore door of a garage beat-laboratory/boudoir flood jungle percussives, unbalanced intimacies, guitar brickbats maddened with fuzz, Gone-and-staying-there Rockabilly, and more Crampsian curiosities than you can shake a furry handcuff at (if that's your idea of a good time). The best sort of fun is where not all are guaranteed return.

Recommended: "Get Down," "The Big Green Cock Monster," "She's Cruel," "Wackin' the Dark," "My Rendezvous Under the Moon," "Sexual Ghost," "Happy Flesh," "Strum Strum Strum Again," "Cold Sweat"

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