The Big Marteen's

Record Addict

(Sleazy Records)

Everything seizes attention at once: six strings erupting, high-and-mighty brass proudly abloom, skins slammed adamantly, and keys kicking up heels with massive exhileration. Comes brashly the voice, full of itself in the finest of manners; nary a note slighted, as tuneful bends unfurl. "Love and Compagny" conjures mesmerism with lower-case urbanity. A soothful moment amidst rumbustious schmozzle. As for "Good Rockin' Time" -- everyone's throwing wild on every instrument -- anyone who remembers the scene clearly wasn't really there. 

Recommended: "Big Lake," "Claudio," "Good Rockin' Time," "Record Addict," "Love and Compagny," "Bang Bang," "You Gave Your All to Rock'n'Roll"

Videos: "Big Lake"   "Claudio"   "Bang Bang"   "You Gave Your All to Rock'n'Roll"   

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Sweet Grooves Records

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Pat Capocci

Echoes from the Asphalt Jungle   vinyl or CD 

(Sleazy Records)

Mr. Capocci evinces offhand vocal trenchancy and plank hip-dipping, all in the service of Bopification. The world already knows as much. (Straight from the fridge.) But the conclusion that fresh waxings from him aren't, then, of pressing interest is a far piece from this truth: digging his every new disc is of most-ut imperativeness.

(Also scissors-operator of Harbord Road barbering emporium Flying Tiger, Pat has tonsorial adeptitude in common with Rockat Smutty Smith and Hillbilly Casino's Nic R.) 

Recommended: "Lucia," "Day by Day," "Barnitos Bounce," "Trance," "The Puzzle," "Enzos Outing"

Videos: "Day by Day"   "Trance"   "The Puzzle" 

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Pike & Delta

Rockin' Bomb

(Sleazy Records)

Spanish Rockabillies Pike Calavera and El Niño Delta rip through headlong essays. Devotees of Lee Allen and Red Tyler's sax turns on Roy Montell's 1956 Specialty side (later exhumed by the S. Cats) will find treasure aplenty, albeit in striking vines. Fun wrecks without aplologies.

Recommended: "Rockin' Bomb #3," "(Cada vez que escucho) Ese dulce saxofón," "Ven, que estoy hirviendo" "Tri-Tri-Tristeza"

Videos: "Rockin' Bomb #3"   "(Cada vez que escucho) Ese dulce saxofón"   "Tri-Tri-Tristeza" (live)

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Howlin' Ramblers

Home of the Blues (Revisited)

(Sleazy Records)

The club door busted wide. In strutted Rock'n'Roll, bold and lookin' for all-night fun. (Which would entail dolls, brawls, and suds aplenty.) 

Group-penned romps built from gut-bucket jukin' (including the titular number, "Stay the Fuck Home," and "Send Me Some Lovin'"), atop which sail harmonica serenades of the finest kind, clasp brotherhood hands with 1956 Big Walter Price classic "Pack Fair and Square" (covered by J. Geils on their 1972 Full House.) Sleazy's new reissue of the Howlin' ones' self-issued 2016 maiden disc can be captured only as limited-edition vinyl. Remixed and remastered, it now features two bonus cuts.

Hours later, when lights went up and the grizzled barkeep shouted "You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here!," Rock'n'Roll was still knockin' 'em back...

Recommended: "Home of the Blues," "I'm Ready if You're Willing," "Stay the Fuck Home," "Number Nine," "Pack Fair and Square," "Send Me Some Lovin'," "Takin' Care of My Home"

Videos: "Home of the Blues"   "Stay the Fuck Home"   "Pack Fair and Square"   "Send Me Some Lovin'"

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VDP -Records

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Kieron McDonald

Because of You   45 rpm EP

(Sleazy)

Easy-drawling Kieron is as comfortable bobbing to melodies as a crooner can be. (A manner he doubtless absorbed while a youth, listening to his dad's old Country waxings.) He presents affability with understated, black-and-white, pointed-shoe heptitude that puts wise every jukebox-jonesing he and she on deck. The former mic swinger for Melbourne Rockabillies the Flatfoot Shakers, Kieron gains immeasurably from sharp assist lent by ace players, including highly-reputed guitar dab hand Kid James.

Recommended: "Because of You," "All She Wants to Hear is Dean Martin," "Exotic Woman," "At the Bop Hop"

Videos: "Because of You"   "All She Wants to Hear is Dean Martin"

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Jason Starday

Towards the Sun   7" EP

(Sleazy Records)

Sharply limited edition. Regardless of genre - rambling Rock'n'Roll, Lounge, Blues, or placid Country - the titular mic stand-clasper rolls out like smoothness on two legs. The latest hep crooner to spring from Deutschland, Jason not only got the sock, but is spreading it all around with swinging elan. Recalls Ivory Joe and Pettis County's Mr. Van Dyke, with glistening originals nestled beside. Fellow golden-throater Marcel Bontempi added graphic craft to double 45 gatefold cover.

Recommended: "You Got a Man on Your Hand," "Black Cloud," "Towards the Sun," "The Life I Live," "Can't Get You Out of My Mind"

Videos: "You Got a Man on Your Hand"   "Black Cloud"   "Towards the Sun"   "The Life I Live"   

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The Dusty 45s

Butterflies  EP

(Sleazy Records)

Regardless of the style they take up - comfortably settled Rockabilly, het-up hijinx remindful of baggy-pants Vaudevillian carryings on, Bert Weeden's ethereal 1960 excursion, or Jazzy geniality accustomed to high-toned niteries - combo members turn hands ably. Poise walks hard and trumpet skedaddles merrily.

Recommended: "Simple Thing," "Butterflies," "Bright Lights and Blonde Haired Women"

Videos: "Simple Thing"   "Butterflies"   "Apache"   "Bright Lights and Blonde Haired Women"

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Angela Hoodoo

Outlaw Girls

(Sleazy Records)

Hats sported by Angela include introspective truth-teller and gladsome dust-kicker. She models each stylishly, as engaging Country players of fine measure do their genre forebears proud. (Nicolás Huguenin, Carlos Jiménez, Frank Mora, Nahum Canoura, and Raúl Bernal are in the kitchen.) As is of paramount significance for ensemble denim minstrels, they mesh without apparent seams and raise up sounds sterling. The starring lady's singing, all the while, traverses the passion spectrum, beflowering the project with unique disposition.

(Somewhere far o'er head, Loretta nods.)

Recommended: "Outlaw Girls," "I've Got Soul for My Enemies," "Snakes in My Head," "Don't Get Into Trouble," "Wild Horse," "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven"

Videos: "Outlaw Girls"   "Snakes in My Head" (live)   "Wild Horse"

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Angela Hoodoo

Outlaw Girls

(Sleazy Records)

Realizing that she had estimable gifts indigenous to barn land, Angela gathered players of equal disposition. Together, they carpentered a work of nothin'-hifalutin' splendor. There's enough Real Country underway here to knock flat every Pop-Country popinjay that ever primped his blow-dried locks.

Recommended: "I've Got Soul for My Enemies," "Snakes in My Head," "Fugitivo," "Don't Get Into Trouble," "Wild Horse"

Video: "I've Got Soul for My Enemies" / "Don't Get Into Trouble" (live)   "Snakes in My Head" (live)   "Fugitivo"  (live)

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Marcel Riesco

Wild Kisses

(Sleazy)

Renowned as the Twinkletones' leader, Marcel can rightly be ranked in Rock'n'Roll vocalists' topmost station - alongside Robert Gordon, Dibbs Preston, and Levi Dexter. Others take inspiration from Mr. Presley. But in Marcel's majestic voicings - at times ascending to impossibly high planes - one detects a profound Wink Troubadour imprint. (Indeed, Marcel is also an esteemed Orbison authority.)

A voice of such distinction merits class-A material. And such is present in these grooves. Songs are crafted with executive finesse, their impacts assured by interpretive musicianship of suitably high caliber.

Here unfurl poised and polished sounds that offer finned vogue of the later 1950s, with sincerity of evergreen quality. None rush to announce import; such just indisputably is.

Recommended: "You Gotta Love Me Too," "Wild Kisses," "Pucker Paint," "Daydream," "Waitin'," "Why Can't We Just Make Up?," "She's OK"

Video: "You Gotta Love Me Too"   "Wild Kisses"   "She's OK"

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Nick Curran

Player (Sleazy Records)

Doctor Velvet (Sleazy Records)

In Nick's yowling exhortations rang exuberant swagger that could rip heavy-duty nails from lumber. His ravers had spiritual roots in the shouted works of bygone masters like Little Richard, but were put over with innovative scintillation. There were belly-rubs, too; many-a wee-hours interaction doubtless derived inspiration from the achingly soulful tones of which Nick was capable. 

As regards his solos, suffice it to note that he put his shoe through each. Whether notes screamed in bursts, or orated poignantly, all seized oxygen. (And witness guest Jimmy Vaughn's own pyrotechnics on "Midnite Hour.")

Nick's toils were a far piece from foreigner mimicry. He was as honest-to-Salvation a man of the music as could be anyone who was not jukin' in the 1950s/1960s, or who lacked an H.G. Wells contrivance.

Recommended (Player): "Player," "What About Love," "Evenin'," "She's Evil," "The Groovy Jam," "The Stalker," "Down Boy Down," "Come Back," "Heeby Jeebies"

Recommended (Doctor Velvet): "Doctor Velvet," "Shot Down," "Don't Be Angry," "Please Don't Leave Me," "Midnite Hour," "One More Time," "Can't Stop Lovin' You," "Cold Cold Heart," "Stompin' At the Fort"

Videos: "Player"  (live)  "What About Love"   "Come Back"   "Doctor Velvet"   "Please Don't Leave Me"   "Midnite Hour"

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