DC Larson's JUKEBOX JURY: February 2026

Astracán

"Siempre Sale el Sol" b/w "El Futuro"

(Beatclap)

Sure, Milton wrote of Astrakhan. But he neglected to mention slouches, sneers, and buzz-blade barre chords. Charging from speakers is feral evidence of the Forest Hills Carbona-huffers' eternal imprint - the headiness of kicks-amped young guerillas fronted by a nasal wise-ass who rails against maturation.

This approaching August 12, a total solar eclipse is predicted to sweep Astracán's homeland of Spain. Like they care.

(Full-length Lethal Puberty is scheduled for next month, Friday the 13th issuance.)

Videos: "Siempre Sale el Sol" "El Futuro"

The Vossa Rebels

Live at Rockefeller

(Kvarts)

Each June, Voss, Norway hosts the Ekstremsportveko extreme-sports fest. Local-boys-made-gone Vossa Rebels qualify as "extreme Rockabilly." The trio write like masters, play like demons, and are so of the wildcat sound you'd suppose it supercharges their surging crimson. And by the time they've covered globally mourned, tattooed rocker Nick Curran, you've already given up the geetus.

Recommended: "A Little Confused," "Psycho," "As Good as It Gets," "Strapless Dress," "California Sun," "Like a Rocket"

Videos: "A Little Confused" "Strapless Dress" "Like a Rocket"

The Jackals

Feeling Greasy 4-track EP

(Vinyl Fetish)

As I put pen to paper, 300 copies from the initial 500 pressed in 2025 have left shelves. 1980s Portland aggressionists The Jackals cut these tracks in '84 and '87. Vintage juke boogie from the '57 Bel Air class is resurrected, mixed liberally with bellicose fret-swipes and brazenness owing to twentysomething breakneckery Bacchus would've drunk to.

Reports tell of members being active in 2026, sometimes performing as Los Hackals.

Recommended: "Feeling Greasy," "Someone's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In" (live)

Videos: "Feeling Greasy" "Someone's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In"

Back in the Day, 2001

Al Dexter

Pistol Packin' Mama

(Roots of Country)

Voices credit Texan Al not only with crafting imperial '30s/'40s/'50s Western Swing, but for perhaps being the first to employ term "Honky Tonk" in song. So don't be put off by the cheapjack cover art; though this important music may not have gotten top-drawer handiwork it deserved, reward ambles into view when stylus touches down.

Al penned 1943's jocular "Pistol Packin' Mama." From it, he accrued an abundance of cheddar, and it became his best-known contribution to American Music. (The pleasant ditty inspired a host of covers, as well as a Republic comedy of like vintage.) But it was far from Al's sole worthy. Also populating this wax are several numbers (like "Poor Little Honky Tonk Girl," "Down at the Roadside Inn," "Honky Tonk Chinese Dime," and "Fisherman's Boogie") that merit similar evergreen situation.

Assembled players the Troopers proved themselves clod-kickin' crackerjacks. Often, violin-and trumpet-bounce sprang winkingly, with guitars (both electric and steel varieties) holding forth in affable tones.

As can be anticipated, given this compendium's spanning decades, stylistic evolution is apparent. Early tracks tend toward spareness and loveable crudity, whereas later ones enjoy fuller instrumentation and more production attentions.

(My one quibble concerns the mysterious exclusion of early 1946 instrumental "Guitar Polka." It settled into charts' #1 slot for a reoported 16 weeks, and boasts more big-grin animation than a barrel of digital music plugins.)

Recommended: "Poor Little Honky Tonk Girl," "I Learned About Love from You," "Down at the Roadside Inn," "There'll Come a Time," "Why Did It Have To Be," "Honky Tonk Chinese Dime," "Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry," "A Good Man is Hard to Find," "Pistol Packin' Mama," "Honey Do You Think It's Wrong," "Fisherman's Boogie," "New Broom Boogie," "Hi De Ho Boogie"

Videos: "Poor Little Honky Tonk Girl" "Down at the Roadside Inn" "Pistol Packin' Mama" "Honky Tonk Chinese Dime" "Fisherman's Boogie"