Ilona Penzes – It’s Time You Spent The Night
This 45 reminds me of that scene in Blue Velvet where Frank Booth is wielding a love letter that will send you straight to hell. Dare to hear! It’s Time You Spent The Night
Record Reviews » Country / Blues
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Carol Stivers – The Many Voices of Carol Stivers
While debating whether to drop 3 bucks on this mystery I noticed a previous owner’s remarks inked into the cover – “Fantastic !!??”. Well, that sealed the deal. Jaw hit floor as the first track, “Agua Fria” flowed from the stereo… [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Hamilton County Bluegrass Band – Fifth Season
The Hamilton County Bluegrass Band were actually pretty popular in New Zealand in the late 60s/early 70s. It kind of blows my mind that these guys (and gal) achieved pretty strong mainstream success with such a traditionally bluegrass sound. Confusingly, I think Fifth Season is actually their sixth LP and was notable for a slicker [...]
Billy Earl – The World of Billy Earl
Floridian country rocker Billy Earl offers up a one-tracker with “Ninety Nine Thump”. While poor Billy was out lookin’ for lovin’, the session axeman worked his mediocre magic with limp fuzz riffs and fake (read: wah pedal) lion’s roar for added intrigue. Awesomely tepid.[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
The Singing Jones Family – (Country & Gospel)
Solid 197? local release out of Nashville. Can’t find any info on this album anywhere. Standouts include infectious vocals on a cover of “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”, and a version of Prince Buster’s “Ten Commandments of Man”. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Watching The Door – Ken Lindsey
Ken Lindsey put out a handful of unremarkable rockabilly sides on the Prince label. This sleepy instrumental b-side was reissued on 51 West’s Long Gone compilation in 1976. It feels odd to post a review of a label comp, but I got tired of waiting for the single to turn up. If anyone has heard [...]
Jim Gill – Spectacles
There is something that is kind of appealing about this country/gospel LP. Jim Gill runs through a bunch of styles (often within the same song) and the band is pretty tight. There is definitely some cool, smart and humorous songwriting going down here and often that’s a tough thing to find on gospel LPs. From [...]
The Douglas Brothers – 2002 R.F.D.
R.F.D. (Rural Free Delivery) was developed in the 1890s so rural dwellers wouldn’t need to trek to the nearest post office to pick up their mail. “2002 R.F.D.” is naturally a rural rendition of the ever-reliable “Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey,” aka “Also Sprach Zarathustra” by Richard Strauss. A disappointing recording of this tune [...]
GREY EAGLE BAND Under Direction Of: Opal J. Johnson
Every year my brother and I take a road trip to dig for records. The objective is to find rare and desirable records of all genres. Without fail the highlight is always finding that special LP that none of our collector friends have ever heard before. This year our trip took us through America’s Heartland…..Kansas, [...]
Moze Henry – Joy To The World / Love It Or Leave It
Who says a guy in the middle of the woods can’t lay down a solid funk track? Listen and enjoy!!! [Audio clip: view full post to listen] “Joy To The World” [Audio clip: view full post to listen] “Love It Or Leave It”
Nancy – Like You Do
Not completely sure what this song has to do with POW’s, but I’m really feeling it. Yet another nice track in the vein of country funk. Enjoy!!! [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Last Next – Shanty Blue Folk
Last Next is one of the odder birds in my collection. Self-released circa 1972 by a group of New York City musicians led by an army veteran songwriter (shown in uniform on the cover), the album is dominated by amateurish country s-sw with a world-weary undertone, like Hoyt Axton or Jim Croce.
Country Limit Band – Introducing – Starr Records
Yet another interesting title on the Starr Record label. This group is from Ravenswood, WV. A five piece band that according to the liner notes, “…have their own style and they know what to do with it.” This is definitely one of the more interesting country titles on Starr. Enjoy the tunes as the band [...]
Judy Page – Time Is Love (1969 CBS)
Lame ass LP but a sweet and crispy version of this cornball classic with some liquid bass and drums. [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Sparky Rucker – Cold & Lonesome On A Train
This is a really solid set of mid-late 70s folk/country/blues. Everything is well played & Rucker has a great singing voice. Variations in instrumentation keep things fresh throughout (harmonica, banjo, fiddle etc) & Rucker is adept & convincing over all the material. Of the thirteen tracks here four of them are from the Robert Johnson [...]
Merrill Clark: Operating Engineer
A short bit of agonizing over whether or not to crack the seal followed my one dollar purchase of this local San Jose, CA bulldozer man lp. I guess it just seemed like another likely candidate for the better left to the imagination section. Glad my curiosity got the best of me though as it’s [...]
Oliver Spinetto & Harry Francis – Zodiac 45
Here’s an interesting record from a bygone era. Not only were Auckland’s Zodiac Records one of the biggest local independent labels of the 50s & 60s, as an aspiring musician you could also use their facilities to cut your own record. This 45 was recorded on the 5th of October 1955 in immediately pre-rock & [...]
Ronnie Anderson – The Generation Gap
This rules!! Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t detect a shred of humor here. I think, this is dead serious. In any case, I know the readers here, myself included deal with alot of these problems on a regular basis, and will find this song (?) PSA (?) funeral march (?) prescient. Listen
John & Ed Strickland – Rebel Beat
John & Ed Strickland seem to have been something of a none to one almost hit wonder group, it’s actually been pretty tough to find any information on these guys or this 45. The actual A side is a nice mid/slow version of Wilbert Harrison’s “Kansas City Blues” that draws equally from country & R&B [...]
Edna Mae Henning
Welcome to the magical world of Edna Mae Henning. A very special country singer from rural Pennsylvania. She is in many ways what I had always dreamed of in an older woman singing good ol’ fashioned country music. She has a way of capturing the soul of what is truly wonderful about the world around [...]