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Show Obscure, out-offashio- n, retro-musi- c and some pop by William Athey Forum staff 'writer The mailman, the independent labels and Brad Collins at Raunch came through with enough rootsydiscs for another session this week. Turn off the Breeze and Garth Brooks for a few minutes. You dont need to hear the new David Sanborn, Rippingtons or Yellowjackets albums, just listen to their last one again, nothings changed. If you want contemporary jazz, try the latest Sonny Sharrock or Praxis, or you might try theNaked Lunch soundtrack featuring Ornette Coleman. Dan Fogelbcrg, the Eagles and Loggins and Messina did Garth in the 70s. Rhinos reissuing a whole series of Atlantic soul and StaxVolt has a box set, so chuck Michael Bolton and try the real thing. Dont you want to know where Billy Ray stole his Achy Brcaky Heart from? Its time once again to go even further into the past. Im trapped in a time warp somewhere between the true rockabilly of 1956 and the rockabilly revival of the early 1980s, when it became fashionable again. Few record labels record this stuff anymore, even fever record stores carry it. Obscure, out-o- f and I love it, fashion, retro-musso here we go. long-wind- -- ed ic rockabilly pioneer is Can he still rock? Riley must have known the question would come up, because he answers it with the first song, The Little Green Men. A remake of Flying Saucer Rock and Roll, he the song is a pure slice of rockabilly was CD The even gets the echo right recorded at the Sam C. Phillips Recording Studio in Memphis, Tcnn., so the surrounding atmosphere probably didnt hurt. That is the only true rockabilly song on the CD, but the music doesnt go downhill. Riley shows that hes not stuck with his reputation as a rockabilly pioneer. He does some hot Little Richard and Chuck Berry style rock n roll on All Over Again, Rock It Billy and Back Door Sally. Rock It Billy is a rewrite of Berrys Johnny B. Good, but Riley puts himself in Johnnys place. There is some fine barroom-styl- e honky tonk as on Blue Collar Blues. Riley can also play barroom boogie blues. Living the Blues and The Blues Come Around are examples of the style. He hasnt forgotten he changes his vocals how to sing either, to match the genre. The guitar playing throughout is hot Riley shows off his prowess with the harmonica on many songs and Ace Cannon lends his honkin sax to the band. Cannon is especially prominent on Back Door Sally and Calhoun City. If you like roots rock n roll, Billy Lee Riley has a new CD that will not disappoint The Little Green Men prove they still have what it takes after more than 30 years. sic Page 10 Jorum The Skeletons - Waiting - Alias A030-- Stardust Cowboy, known for recording the -- D Alias was my favorite label last spring with their releases by the Magnolias, Yo La Tengo and Hypnolovewheel. The Skeletons have the latest from Alias. This disc doesnt fit in with the roots theme of these reviews. I include it, however, because two band members, Lou Whitne'y, bass and vocals, and D. Clinton Thompson, guitar and vocals, were in the Morells, one of those revival bands of the early 80s who combined rhythm and blues and rockabilly on vinyl. On this new release they throw almost every influence imaginable from the early to late 60s (bubblegum, mersey-bea- t, garage, in a Beach and blender, Boys) psychedelic toss in a pinch of rockabilly and rhythm and blues, blend on high for 20 or 30 years and pour out Waiting in late 92. I hated this the first two listens because of my preconceived notion of what it should sound like. The album is actually quite good if the 60s sound is imbedded in your pop psyche. It is best when the Skeletons-leav' the mersey-beand bubblegum behind and rock, as on their Jerry Reed style cover of Only Daddy (JhatTl Walk the Line) and Hardware with a garage-ban- d guitar and bass combined with an ELP synthesizer. Alias has another platter of American . pop few will ever hear, critics will write about for the next six months, and radio programmers will ignore. Maybelm wrong, maybe this is the release to break Alias into e. the The album was spotlighted in Billboard magazine. Id rather hear the Skeletons on Top 40 radio, than The Heights, Michael Bolton and Firehouse. e at Medicine Rattle - Unbottled - Earth Smithsonian Institution for his contribution to rock n roll. He is best known for his songs, Red Hot and Flying Saucer Rock and Roll, released on the Sun label in the 50. He and his band, The Little Green Men, were the house band at Sun Records, and they played on hits by the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich and Bill Justis. Riley traveled to Los Angeles in the early 60s and played his harmonica or guitar as a session musician on records by Herb Alpert, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, the Beach Boys, Johnny Rivers, Ricky Nelson and Pearl Bailey. Blue Collar Blues is a new recording by Riley. On this outing he is reunited with the Little Green Men: Roland James, guitar and J.M. Van Eaton, drums. The first question I have when I see a new recording by a and a strange bed in My Own Bed. This album is not immediately enjoy- able; it takes several listens to get beyond MacDowell s overpowering presence to fully appreciate the quality of the entire band. It is not an album to listen to once and file away. I am convinced they put on a great live show, and I would love the see them play Salt Lake City. I hope on their next album they quit worrying about comparisons and let loose on the full recording. Mu- EAR-00- 6 This CD was produced by Billy Zoom, the guitarist for X, who is also known for his rockabilly guitar. The press materials say the band is trying to drop comparisons to X. They also claim rockabilly influences. I just listened to B illy Lee Riley - one of the greats and while the rockabilly is present, it is a little restrained. Melanie MacDowell, lead vocals, has such a powerful voice that the band is, at times, almost buried behind her. She yelps, quavers, moans, purrs and whoops her way through the 10 songs on the album. The band has the 50s licks, but I think they are too subdued for much of the album. Most of. the energy on many songs comes from MacDowell. When they let loose on Fork In the Road and My Delusion, tOwn Bed,', the album cooks.' The X comparisons are unavoidable on Fork In The Road, but MacDowell sounds nothing like . . Exene. Rather than lump Medicine Rattle in with the rockabilly influences and X, Id place them with some of the great lost pub-roc- k and power-po- p bands of the 70s and 80s. Ducks Deluxe, Brinsley Schwarz, the Jags, the Kings, and dont forget Rockpile. If any of them had a dominant female lead vocal- big-tim- MacDowell has a hand in writing all the lyrics. She drinks away her pain on Broken Heart & Alcohol, and she pants breathlessly, trying to Get Back Home. The of her lonely, next-doclicking high-heeneighbor are the subject of Daily Heels. After a night of drinking, her cat and her own bed are preferable to a new acquaintance December 8, 1992 ls or Paralyzed. FLY RIGHT WITH. AND THE FLY-RIT- E BIG SANDY BOpECO has enough confidence in their musicianship to throw in a number of instrumentals. They range from the voodoo rockabilly of Casillero Del Diablo to the chiming guitars on Happy Guitar Boogie. Bella Negritta combines a Latin taste with Hawaiian guitar. Most of the songs stick with Bo Diddley rhythms and Ronnie Hawkins distorted guitar sound, but just to keep things interesting they add country and western (h la Johnny Cash) with Midnight Cowboy and the cowpoke instrumental Gracias Poor La Vida. Bodeco has a thoroughly enjoyable modem rockabilly album with Bone, Hair and Hide. Its raw, it has that garage sound, and it rocks. . . TRIO -- DIONYSUS -- ID123314-2 If you ve been looking for a modem band that plays traditional pop rockabilly, this is it A three piece backs Big Sandys vocals. Where BODECO favored the distorted guiTrio tar style, Big Sandy and the Fly-Riconcentrate on the cleaner sound of Gene VincentandhisBlueCapsor Eddie Cochran. This isnt the raw hillbilly boogie of obscure unknowns, its the smooth, commercial sound of the rockabillys heard on 50s radio. T.K. Smith, guitar, exhibits his craft with some terrific breaks throughout the album. Wally Hersom plunks away on his stand-u- p in true rockabilly style. Will B., drums and Bobby Tremble, the drummer on two songs, get the big beat out of the customary small kit. Big Sandy has Ricky Nelson down perfectly as he demonstrates on High S teppin , the song could have come from the soundtrack to the Ozzie and Harriet show. He can also do Gene Vincent, Let Me Love You Right and Miss Tracy wouldnt sound out of place on any of Vincents albums. One of the hottest versions of Hank Williams Kaw-Lig- a Ive ever heard is on this album. Trio have Big Sandy and the Fly-Rireleased a 50s album in 1992. It sounds straight from 56 to me. It just might bring boppin back into fashion. Im Finished, turn KISN back on, go back to your Town and Country. Youre safe until next week when once again Ill try to add a little diversity to your life and introduce you to some new music. The BODECO album is distributed by Dutch East India Trading, 81 N. Forest Ave., Rockville Centre, NY, 11570. The address for Dionysus is P.O. Box 1975, Burbank, Calif., 91057. Brad at Raunch can order them for you too. Alias can be reached at 2815 West Olive Avenue, Burbank, Calif. 91505, but force the local record store to special order. Hightone: 220 4th Street 101, Oakland, Calif., 94607. Medicine Rattle is distributed by Cargo: 3058 North Clyboum, Chicago, 111. 60618 te hit-maki- ng te v ist. worlds worst record, 30DECO - Bone Hair And Hide - Homestead - HMS183-- 2 Heres a band that has the sound down. Two guitars, a stand-u- p bass and drums comprise the instrumentation. Id say Bo Diddley, Ronnie Hawkins, Chuck Berry, The Fireballs, Panther Bums and Johnny Cash are well represented in BODECOs record collection. The vocalist (band members names arent on the CD) sounds like the Legendary Mouthbreather, the Decomposers and Bob Evans was a great show at Club Starrz on Dec. 2. You missed it. Ha ha ha ha ha. |