the Reverend Horton Heat
Smoke 'em if You Got 'em
(Sub Pop)
It's beyond imagination that anyone would require an introduction at this writing. Here is a reissue of the RHH's 1990 debut, and it's of indispensable bearing. Produce your cabbage.
Recommended: "Bullet," "I'm Mad," "Bad Reputation," "Psychobilly Freakout," "Eat Steak." "Big Dwarf Rodeo," "D For Dangerous"
Video: live (31:00)
Dave Del Monte and the Cross County Boys
Coffin Car Coupe, Food Zombie
Bandcamp singles
(Independent)
Videos: "Coffin Car Coupe"
Lonesome Dave Fisher
Rockabilly Route One
(Independent)
Always welcome is this level of playing: never challenging or confrontational, but instead comfortably accessible in a home-folks manner. You know from the opening notes you're among friends, and that feels just plain right.
Recommended: "Hill Country Special," "Act Your Age," "Sweet Medicine," "Way Back When," "House of Love," "Brand New Shade of Cool"
Video: Live
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Rockabilly Space Force
Satellite Rock single and podcast space adventures
Joe Tate and the Hi Fives issued Satellite Rock in 1958 (on Roulette), but couldn't have known it would be covered in 2022, and by a Spokane combo with intergatactic imaginings.
But Rockabilly Space Force is not only a band.
"The Rockabilly Space Force wants to rock where no one’s rocked before," says bandleader Garrin Hertel. "You know, in space. Hopefully somewhere with an atmosphere so that we can be heard - and so we don’t freeze, suffocate, and die.
"For now, we perform on Earth," he adds. "But while we wait for a real chance to rock out with colonists on the Moon or Mars, we’re writing and recording a podcast called 'The Adventures of the Rockabilly Space Force,' which takes us out into the inner solar system. Well, in our dreams, anyway."
He says in their podcast universe, they’re a "motley" crew of engineers and mechanics living in a rocket refueling base on the second moon of Mars, "a little potato-shaped rock called Deimos," in the year 2095.
"It’s Route 66 meets Deep Space Nine. Or maybe the Stray Cats play The Expanse. Buddy Holly hitches a ride on a Firefly? Lighter than Cowboy Bebop but definitely more gravity than the Monkees."
"In real life, we have an engineer in the band whose designs are riding out on the International Space Station," Garrin relates. "So we’re leaning a little more toward hard sci-fi with his technical expertise leading the way. We’ll probably still bend a few laws of physics when the story demands it, or whenever we damn well please.
Garrin says they’ve also got an IT/software designer, a theater master, and a former magazine publisher. They and others play piano, guitars, tenor sax, stand up bass, and drums.
"Technically a 5-piece," he notes. "Though our front man, Dayan Kai, plays every instrument known to humankind."
Satellite Rock is a leisurely paced number that hints throughout at potency. The skilled members of Rockabilly Space Force easily toss off good-time music with flair. It all but pulls listeners toward the hardwood.
Indeed, in it is a sound that's always welcome: that of musicians genuinely pleased with their undertaking. It's a vibe that marks superiority of perpetrators.
The podcast is written and presently in production. ("Season 1 of the podcast is 16 episodes, about 8-15 minutes each.") Rockabilly Space Force hopes to launch it in the first half of 2023. "Each episode will be like a radio play," Garrin says. "With a new song every show. Sometimes a cover, sometimes an original."
Per Garrin, the Rockabilly Space Force members are:
Hertel,himself: bandleader, guitar. "I play the role of “Buddy” in the podcast - Buddy is the bandleader in the story, and also plays guitar."
Olivia Brownlee - (Bass, lead vocals) "Mercy Palomino in the story."
Andy Bennett - (Drums) "Verne in the story." . Robert Folie - (Sax) "Zoot in the story." Dayan Kai - (Piano mainly, "but plays a lot of instruments." Also lead vocals.) "Randy, in the story."
"'The adventures of the Rockabilly Space Force' is a semi -
serialized show, and we've written an extensive backstory to keep the plot moving. As for our sound, we're constantly experimenting to find the right sound for each song. We love the original Sun label recorddings, and we also love edgier, raw rockabilly, a la the Phantom. Why lock in to just one style?"
Video: "Satellite Rock"
13 Cats
debut reissue
(Cleopatra)
Available as limited-edition pink vinyl.
Recommended: "13 Cats," "Leather Straight Jacket," "Jungle Man - Robot Girl," "Sex Hex," "Hell Bop," "Snap, Crackle, and Hiss," "Crazy Baby"
Video: "Crazy Baby"
El Oso y sus Sabandijas
Magic Hooker Rush
(Independent)
Recommended: "Stay Mad," "Sit Down," "You Know My Love," "Down the Line," "Hide Out"
Video: "Down the Line"
Edi Roque
Here To Stay
(Independent)
Stridency marks Edi's guitar - it can slice through even the most rugged change up. That spells mastery, in the parlance of the back streets. But there's a placidness, too, as evinced by his more quietly accomplished ventures.
Recommended: "Here To Stay," "My Skye," "Bluesman," "Parisienne Walkways," "Cold Flame," "Enough," "Havana Jam"
Video: "Enough" (live)
