Cheap genre compilations (pt 1) - Rockabilly

£ 3 or 5 € will get you this one.
And a real scorcher it is. 50 tracks on two cd's for next to no money will let you discover the all but forgotten genre that is Rockabilly.

The Clash's Brand New Cadillac? Iggy Pop's Real Wild Child?
They're here in their original versions.
As are the better known originals such as Carl Perkins' Blue Suede Shoes or Elvis' Mystery Train and Baby Let's Play House.
Ubangi Stomp? Race with the Devil? Here.
Johnny Burnette? Johnny Kidd & the Pirates? Here.


What makes this compilation most interesting are of course the lesser known names and they're provided in abundance.
Why so cheap? Easy, most if not all songs are out of copyright.

If you ever wondered where acts like The Stray Cats or Robert Gordon learned their trade then this is the place to start.
I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

The Sore Losers (B)

These guys came second in this years' prestige filled Humo's Rock Rally, a bi-annual Battle of the Bands that already made a couple of Belgians famous. In Belgium.
They chose a bit of a shitty name for themselves but the winners, R.E.M.-lite School is Cool, did even worse.
Uncool names seemed to be the new cool this year.

I read a review calling their eponymous debut 70's rock. Now, if one wants to hear 70's rock one should be better off listening to Black Country Communion.
This is sturdy, balanced 2010 rock.

I could compare the Sore Losers to a band from the other side of the country, The Van Jets (now that is a cool name).
Equal on the rock front, less glam though.
The Jets too made a stunning debut album, Electric Soldiers, only to follow it up with Cat Fit Fury their disappointing second.

Minor quibbles. The singer often sings with a 2x4 up his ass and the lyrics sound a bit clichéed now and then.
"I'm blind but now I can see", "It's gonna hurt you a lot more than it's gonna hurt me".
Otherwise the guitarist proves his chops beyond the call of duty and that's the real reason the whole cd steams like steamroller or a bulldozer.

Beyond Repair and Silver Seas are drenched with rock 'n roll pur sang and my favorite Hollow Tree has this great tottering intro that makes the song just great.

There are really not that many country or slide references here. At least not in the foreground.
Coming Home perhaps the most obvious.

Good, solid from beginning to end. A band to watch live no doubt.
But you could always begin listening to this, their first full work.

Disappointed, my little ones, be you will not.

Selah Sue (B)

I will not bother you with the girl's real name,the fact that she likes big hair or drinks white wine before her (often solo) gigs.
I believe she's been playing all over Europe for the past three years doing the big stages with just her acoustic guitar. Owww, how cute.
Don't be mistaken the girl can sing. I always felt her music needed a little backing, a little fleshing out in sound.
Seems she now sometimes uses a backing band something that's apparent on her debut release, the EP Raggamuffin.

Now the title song is the one that's been pushed the most and the hardest.
It's very good, has a nice groove and a smart lyric. Recognizable.

It's just that I'm afraid it will become the stone around her neck. The one hit wonder. The only song of hers everybody will remember.
Let's not let that happen because she has more to tell than just this one.
Only. On an EP there's only room for five songs.
The More That I is equally good. An atmosferic piece taken a little slower but with a faster chorus.
Break has only guitar and bass playing. Slow song, nothing out of the ordinary.
Crazy Vibes and On The Run should, and hopefully will, be part of the live set. They're just right.

I've been thinking that the Marketing machine behind the artist missed a couple of points.
This single should've been released last year and now would've been the right time to get a full CD out.

I for one will be eagerly anticipating that CD but it needs to be here fast.
I would not like to see this talent go to waste.


You're on the right path, Sanne!

Intro

I think I'll use this little corner of cyberspace to talk a bit about music.
Music I'm interested in, that is.
There is no good or bad music.
Some makes me sit up more and take notice. That is all.
The artists I'll talk about are those I can recommend. What you do with that recommendation is up to you.
I'm not going to waste time on music I don't care much for.