Included on your rock’n’roll platter this
month is some sizzling Scandi rockabilly, a must-
have rarity from the brilliantly-named Dickie
Doo And The Don’ts, a sun-dappled compilation
of summer-themed classics and a new album
from the always-great Good Rockin’ Tonight
REVIEWS BY JOHN HOWARD
The Kokomo Kings
FIGHTING FIRE WITH GASOLINE
RHYTHM BOMB
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Top marks for this well-seasoned Scandinavian outfit who mix
up-tempo blues with rockabilly, write excellent songs and perform
them in unaccented English, and have now released their third CD
without setting the world on fire.
Maybe this release will change that.
All 12 songs on this new album are written by bassist Magnus
Lanshammar and are given full justice by lead vocalist Martin
Abrahamsson. There are three guitars in the line-up – Martin
himself, Ronni Busack-Boysen and Magnus, too, which means on
some tracks there’s a delightful mix of slide and lead.
It’s difficult to choose a favourite track, because there’s not a duff
one among them.
All members of the group have backed the biggest names in R&B,
so it’s clear they
have learned from
the masters, and
their date sheet is
brimming with
festival dates all
over Europe.
It’s about time
this highly
entertaining
outfit got more
general acclaim.Various Artists
YOU SHAKE ME
PAN AMERICAN
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A superb 26-track rockabilly
collection with many otherwise
difficult to find tracks. I’ve been
collecting rockabilly 45s since Sonny
Burgess was on London American,
but there’s only one track here I had
on vinyl – and that’s Black Cadillac
by Sonny Wallace. And my copy was
obviously a repro.
The title track, by the way, is by
Jimmy Wayne And The Galaxies.
So if you are light on offerings from
Tommy Cassel, Curtis Wilson, Leroy
Dobson, Ray McCoy and Thunder
Rocks and a score of other
obscurabillies – buy this.The Broadkasters
HOT BLUES AND BOOGIE!!
CJRO
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Authentic-sounding UK blues band
who have notched up no less than
three CD releases in the same
number of years. Fronted by
left-handed guitarist and vocalist
Rob Glazebrook, a twin threat in
more ways than one. He has carved
out a solid reputation in rockabilly,
and also has backed some of the
biggest names in the business.
This 12-tracker includes familiar
titles like BB King’s Sweet Little
Angel and Slim Harpo’s I’m A King
Bee alongside some fine obscurities
like Wonder Boy Travis’ Eyes Like A
Cat and a smattering of originals.Johnny Earl
ROCKIN’ MO
PATRICIA RECORDS
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Johnny Earl was an early Elvis
Presley soundalike who revived 50s
songs that Elvis could have
recorded, but chose not to.
He has now not only found his own
voice but has also blossomed as a
songwriter, as songs on this fine
14-tracker like Zombie Rock’n’Roll
and the title track, underline. It also
boasts a very full sound thanks to
producer John O’Malley, aided and
abetted by star saxman Pete Cook
and the piano of Jim Hammond.
Stand out title for me was the
amusing She’d Rather Eat Cake Than
Make Love.-----^
SUPERB^ ----
RECOMMENDED---^
AVERAGE^--^
PATCHY^-^
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