Saturday, August 28, 2010

Guitar Mania vol. 1

Hi all. DaBoss is bck with a BANG! We start with some klassic twang from this awesome series. Frisian posted this entire series a few years ago on Boppeslag which was mucho coolo and got me looking for it in higher bitrates.
I don't have all 26 volumes but the ones I do have you will get over the next few months in glorious 320.
Enjoy the oldies.

01. The Mustangs - Leskiaidin Tyttaret 01:54
02. The Mustangs - Juoske Sina Humma 02:41
03. The Mustangs - What A Splendid Thing 02:50
04. The Mustangs - Dark Eyes Beat 02:09
05. Bleu Explosion - Teen Scene 02:31
06. The Mustangs - Black Swan 02:14
07. The Mustangs - Bongo Blues 01:47
08. The Mustangs - Forever In Dreams 03:20
09. The Meadowhawks - Tropical Rock 01:50
10. The Meadowhawks - Classical Surf 02:20
11. The Meadowhawks - Marabunta 02:23
12. The Meadowhawks - 1000 & 1 Thoughts 03:50
13. The Desperates - Desperates Express 03:08
14. The Desperates - Little Geisha 02:14
15. The Desperates - Moonshot 01:46
16. The Desperates - Snoernje Van Bloedrode Kralen 02:40
17. The Blue Moon Rockers - Hurricane Rock 02:41
18. The Blue Moon Rockers - Loempia 02:14
19. The Blue Moon Rockers - Theme From Limelight 02:32
20. The Blue Moon Rockers - Running Gypsy 03:20
21. Vintage - Bulldog Mix 03:11
22. Vintage - Hills 03:15
23. Vintage - Cape Blue 03:04
24. Vintage - Sweet Little Margie 02:34
25. The Arrows - La Comparsa 02:39

removed by request


Diplomats of Solid Sound Plenty Nasty

This album from Iowa City s ambassadors of funk and soul, The Diplomats Of Solid Sound features for the first time, The Diplomettes. Having already cut 3 full-length albums, "Instrumental Action Soul" (Prescription Records - 2001), "Let´s Cool One"(Estrus Records - 2003) and "Destination Get Down!" (Estrus Records - 2005), you can hear the band growing stronger in sophistication and depth as they further ingested the sounds of 60s soul, R&B and deep funk. Cut to 2006 and The Diplomats became backing band to RnB/Soul legend Andre Williams & recorded "Aphrodisiac" with ´Mr. Rhythm´ released in 2006 on both Pravda and Spanish label Vampisoul. That same year they asked 3 gifted soul sirens (Sarah Cram, Katherine Ruestow & Abigail Sawyer) aka the Diplomettes to join the group and the rest as they say is soul history. This self-titled album is chock full of irresistible funk and soul bombs ready to melt your heart or make you shake it on the dance-floor. As an added bonus, Lack Of Afro put in a bit of overtime in the studio to sprinkle his magic on "Hurt Me So", giving it a skankin' reggae feel while retaining the silky smooth vocals.

01. Plenty Nasty (3:50)
02. Come In My Kitchen (3:23)
03. Hurt Me So (3:37)
04. Budget Fro (3:29)
05. Trouble Me (2:13)
06. Soul Connection (2:33)
07. Smokey Places (3:16)
08. Lights Out! (3:57)
09. B-A-B-Y (2:58)
10. If You're Wrong... (I Don't Want To Be Right) (3:11)
11. Hurt Me So (Lack Of Afro Remix) (3:50)

dliplomatzss

Pierre Moerlen's Gong - Downwind

The impressive Downwind is the first release from the band under its new moniker, Pierre Moerlen's Gong, as Moerlen assumes creative control and dominance. The release marks a return to vocals/lyrics, which proves only partially successful. Moerlen's voice is a hit on the opener, the rocking "Aeroplane," and the collective vocals on the fast-paced, percussive "Jin-Go-Lo-Ba" (popularized by Santana) are right on target. His singing is weak, though, on "What You Know" and detracts from the song's quality. Mick Taylor makes his only appearance here with an exceptional guitar solo. Downwind is also a return to compositions dominated by rock structures and styles, the jazz element minimal this time around. The instrumental cuts are sublime: "Emotions" and "Xtasea" are relaxing; "Crosscurrents" and "Downwind" are energetic and exciting. The title cut is easily the highlight of the album, featuring guest appearances by Steve Winwood (Moog, synth) and guitarist Mike Oldfield. At almost 13 minutes, this thrilling composition resembles the early work of Oldfield, particularly strains of "Tubular Bells, Pt. 1," and specifically the section used for the film The Exorcist. On "Downwind," Moerlen's percussives are ablaze, recalling his "Percolations" performance from Gazeuse. Bassist Hansford Rowe is prominent, and saxophonist Didier Malherbe, a longtime Gong staple, makes his only appearance on the album...AMG

01 Aeroplane
02 Cross Currents
03 Downwind
04 Tin-Go-Lo-Ba
05 What You Know
06 Emotions
07 Xtasea

bangagong

3 Suns On A Magic Carpet

The postwar-era pop trio the Three Suns comprised vocalist/organist Artie Dunn, guitarist Al Nevins and accordionist Morty Nevins. Although formed in 1939, the group did not achieve widespread success until their 1944 Top 20 rendition of "Twilight Time," co-written by the trio with Buck Ram, sold over a million copies. In 1947 the Three Suns topped the charts with "Peg o' My Heart," but by the 1950s line-up shuffles plagued the group -- first Al Nevins was replaced by Johnny Buck, who later gave way to Joe Negri, while brother Morty Nevins was replaced by accordionist and pianist Joe Vento in 1955. After disbanding, Dunn reformed the trio in 1957 with guitarist Johnny Romano and accordionist Tony Lovello; a largely-forgotten curio for several decades, by the 1990s the Three Suns had accrued hipster cache thanks to the lounge-music revival, and their original recordings resurfaced on any number of exotica and "space-age bachelor pad" reissues. Al Nevins also etched his name in pop history as the co-founder, with Don Kirshner, of Aldon Music, the songwriting house which served as the epicenter of the Brill Building music factory.

One of the very few albums in The Three Suns catalogue to see an official reissue, this was remastered and released on CD in Japan. Super quality pop soundz in 320.



1. Canadian Sunset (2:57)
2. Lisbon Antigua (2:44)
3. Terry Theme (3:16)
4. High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me) (3:35)
5. Moritat (3:15)
6. The Poor People of Paris (Jean's Song) (2:47)
7. Blue Tango (2:37)
8. Meet Mr. Callaghan (2:20)
9. The Song from Moulin Rouge (Where Is Your Heart) (2:17)
10. Ruby (2:44)
11. The 3rd Man Theme (2:28)
12. Fleur de Paree (2:07)

3sunnybunnys

M83 - Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts

A letter and a number make up the name of M83, a band that touch upon all genres, from electronica to pop to ambient. M83's distinct sound emerged after just one album: both modern and melancholic..

In early 2001, their first album, bearing the same name as their group, was released by the cutting-edgeFrench Gooom label. Critics emphasised the album's graceful and nuanced melodies and the cinematographic quality of the dialogues, as well as the band's ability to make synthesizers sound like guitars.

This, their second album, is more ambitious than its predecessor, complex yet accessible thanks to its melodic effectiveness, as heard in the super-powerful 'America' and the dreamlike 'Beauties Can Die', with its virtual chorale sounding an endless final note.

The last track, "Beauties Can Die", contains an untitled hidden track, that starts at 11:25, after a period of silence.
Track 8, "Be Wild", was used as a concert introduction by the band Deftones in 2007.
Track 2, "Unrecorded", was used in theatrical trailer of The Nightwatch (Nochnoy Dozor) movie.

'Epic' doesn't do justice to the terrifying noise of twentysomething French duo M83, whose attempts to merge My Bloody Valentine's Loveless and John Carpenter's soundtracks cometo stunning fruition here' - ***** Bang

'Melding the glacial grace of Tangerine Dream to the post-rock iciness of Mogwai, M83 have created a cold and fragile epic of brittle, symphonic beauty' - XXXX X-Ray

'It's like if Air were still good meets My Bloody Valentine meets total sex. It's simply totally amazing' - NME

Tracklisting:
01. Birds
02. Unrecorded
03. Run Into Flowers
04. In Church
05. America
06. On A White Lake, Near A Green Mountain
07. Noise
08. Be Wild
09. Cyborg
10. 0078h
11. Gone
12. Beauties Can Die

d2

1. Birds 2. Unrecorded 3. In Church (Cyann & Ben Version) 4. Gone (Live) 5. Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts


deadcities1

deadcities2

deadcities3

Music For Zombies

Trick or Treat - Remember the Warren magazines you read as a kid? You know, titles like VAMPIRELLA, EERIE, CREEPY, and FAMOUS MONSTERS? Remember the ads for all the great stuff, such as the Don Post line of movie monster masks, and records like An Evening With Boris Karloff, Dr. Druids Haunted Seance, and Vampyre at the Harpsichord? Well, those masks and music albums have one thing in common: they were all produced by make-up artist and musician Verne Langdon. He is back with his first album of weird and disquieting music in many years. Music for Zombies is an excellent CD to get for the Halloween season. It is a mix of classic Langdon and new offerings, containing six tracks of new music and three tracks from previous albums.

The opening piece of music, Zombie Sonata, is a spare and memorable composition on piano.. Images from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari came into my mind as I listened to it. It is easily one of Mr. Langdons best pieces.

Other compositions are played on a Wurli-Morton Theater Organ or a steam calliope. On Spirit Symphony, first heard on his album Music for Magicians, Mr. Langdon uses the bell-like celeste of the theater organ (in a way that suggests the innocence of childhood) against a sinister bass line. The composition was used recently in the daytime soap, Passions.

The theater organs vibrato is used to good effect on Hypnotique, creating an eerie sound similar, but more expressive than, the theremin. Here Mr. Langdon juxtaposes a strange melody of lingering notes against a march-like accompaniment of drums.

Carnival of Souls sounds like music you might hear at a circus for the insane. It is a diverting, even raucous piece. Those folks who find clowns scary will be especially disturbed by it.

His longest piece of music on the album is Zombie Suite, which is divided into three movements. This is the most symphonic sounding piece, with swelling horn and string sections. The music here struck me as more melancholy, even romantic, than creepy. After hearing it, I wondered why Mr. Langdon has not gone into composing for film. His compositions are better than some of what I hear at the movies these days. He certainly has the creativity required for music that touches and underscores emotions.

Mr. Langdon is known for his sense of humor (he used to be a gag writer for television) and he has some jokes here: the CD opens with the sound of a coffin opening and it ends with the sound of one closing. One track begins with a rather human-sounding wolf howl and another with a snippet of a funeral march. The CD is subtitled Grave Music for Brave People. Despite all that, the music is not treated lightly, but is well done and worth adding to your collection. I have a lot of music in this vein (no pun intended) and this one ranks with my favorites.

1. Opening 2. Zombie Sonata 3. Flowers Of Evil 4. Hypnotique 5. Spirit Symphony 6. Carnival Of Souls 7. Tombs Egyptian 8. Zombie Suite - 1st Movement 9. Zombie Suite - 2nd Movement 10. Zombie Suite - 3rd Movement 11. Closing

muzzoms

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Ray Corvair Trio ST

This Boston-area instrumental act first came to my attention with a stellar live version of the song "Carl Needs A Pill" on the compilation CD called "Attack of the Killer Surf Guitars" (Shanchie 1997). The studio version of that song makes its appearance,along with 10 others, on this eponymous CD.

The instrumetal sounds of the Ray Corvair trio (Guitar, Bass, Drums) will be welcome music to the ears of fans of bands like Los Straitjackets, Aqua Velvets, The Space Cossacks and the Fathoms. The music could not be strictly catagorized as "surf", as most of the songs do not have all of the traditional surf music elements of a fast tempo, heavy reverb, staccato picking, lots of use of the whammy bar, etc., but some of these elements are thrown in the mix throughout the disc. This is very tough music to pigeonhole into a specific catagory--call it instrumental rock and be done it.

There is a "Film Noir" aspect to the overall mood to the disc, with lots of minor key forrays into dark musical alleys. Some of the song titles hint at Pulp-Fiction-type themes, such as "The Body in the Trunk" and "The Darkest Time of the Night". There are also some major key forrays into an almost funky sound filled with sixth and seventh chords from the guitar, such as the afore-mentioned "Body in the Trunk" and "Smoke". There's a Central American side trip on "Honduras" and a James Bond-esque reverb soaked sendup with the tongue-in-cheek title of "The Spy Who Couldn't Get Any Action". (Must not have been James Bond after all!)

One of the things that struck me about the live song that I first heard from this band was how good the recording sounded. This disc only improves on that sound. It's credited as a joint production of the band and Drew Townson, and these guys prove big time that they know what they're doing in the studio. This is one of the best sounding discs you'll hear in any genre. There are some tricks with overdubs, echo/tape speed effects and extra percussion, but most of the time you are hearing the trio locked in tight and playing as one. The drums sound very crisp and full, the bass comes through extremely clearly without dominating, and Ray's guitar work is quite good, although he does paint from a somewhat limited palettte.

This is a very satisfying disc to fans of instrumental rockin' music, and bears up to repeated listenings. I highly recommend this for anyone seeking to avoid vocals in their enjoyment of guitar-based rock-n-roll.

Great spy fi. Get it now and enjoy.

1. Punta 2. The Darkest Time of the Night 3. Carl Needs a Pill
4. The Bag 5. The Body in the Trunk 6. Crazy Doings 7. Honduras 8. Big Texas Surf 9. !Smoke! 10. The Spy Who Couldn't Get Any Action

raybaby

The Dillingers InstroMania

Southern Fla. group plays decent surf lounge instro with sax in some songs. Nothing outstanding - nothing bad - good solid covers with a modern twist. Worthwhile addition and easy on the ears.

1. Dirtbag 2. Penetration 3. Goldfinger 4. Rumble 5. Mr. Moto/the Munsters Theme 6. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly 7. Halem Nocturne 8. Jack The Ripper 9. Astrosurfin Listen! 10. Apache 11. Sleepwalk 12. Theme from "The Magnificent Seven" 13. Rebel Rouser

dillys

The Chantays - Two Sides Of The Chantays / Pipeline

Formed in Santa Ana in 1962, the Chantays were five high school buddies -- Brian Carman (guitar, vocals), Bob Spickard (guitar, vocals), Bob Marshall (piano, keyboards), Warren Waters (bass), and Bob Welch (drums) -- ranging in age from 13 to 17. Playing local dances, they specialized in surf music, and at least in the beginning were primarily an instrumental outfit. They were spotted and signed up by manager Dale Smallins, and in 1962 Carman and Spickard composed and published a piece entitled "Pipeline," which went on to become one of the biggest and best instrumental surf hits ever recorded.
Two Chantays albums on one CD, comprising much of the surf band's early '60s repertory. The "Move It" that opens the disc is not the Cliff Richard song but a slower, raunchier number with vocal choruses carrying a lot of the melody. "Maybe Baby" is the Buddy Holly song, however, and the group does a decent job of singing it. Unfortunately, not a lot of what else is here is exactly first-rate material -- "It Never Works Out for Me" is a tuneless bore, and much of the rest is similarly uninteresting, and generally vocals were not this band's strong point, based on the evidence here. "Beyond" is a follow-up to "Pipeline" with a similar opening, and it is far and away the best track off of that album. The rest of the album is 60's vocal crap drek.

The Pipeline album includes several attempts to emulate that hit, repeating its introduction and mimicking passages, but without much of the vitality or excitement of "Pipeline." The best parts of the album are the band's instrumental cover of Del Shannon's "Runaway," which is a tense, exciting workout for the entire band -- and that goes double for lead guitarist Bob Spickard and pianist Bob Marshall, and "Blunderbus," an almost bluesy number that, if not for the piano, could almost pass for a Yardbirds demo. "El Conquistador" gives Spickard a chance to play an electric version of Spanish guitar. The sound is excellent these remasterings of the Chantays' releases for DCC have that hard edge.The Pipeline part is all instro and worth it.
1. Chantays - Move It (2:21)

2. Chantays - Maybe Baby (2:02)

3. Chantays - It Never Works Out For (2:27)

4. Chantays - Love Can Be Cruel (2:15)

5. Chantays - I'll Be Back Someday (2:28)

6. Chantays - Only If You Care (2:03)

7. Chantays - Three Coins In The Fountain (2:15)

8. Chantays - Beyond (2:07)

9. Chantays - Greenz (2:10)

10. Chantays - Space Probe (2:24)

11. Chantays - Continental missile (1:54)

12. Chantays - Retaliation (2:15)

13. Chantays - Pipeline (2:23)

14. Chantays - The Lonesome Road (3:20)

15. Chantays - Tragic Wind (2:12)

16. Chantays - Runaway (2:55)

17. Chantays - Blunderbus (2:49)

18. Chantays - Banzai (2:04)

19. Chantays - Sleepwalk (2:36)

20. Chantays - Night Theme (2:22)

21. Chantays - Wayward Nite (3:01)

22. Chantays - El Conquistator (1:51)

23. Chantays - Riders In The Sky (2:57)

24. Chantays - Last Night (2:33)

shantyspipes

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Aqua Velvets AV St

Aqua Velvets have a sound that could be described as original surf instrumental, with spaghetti western, S.F. psychedelic, Middle Eastern, and Italian mambo influence.

1. Bravado 2. Spy In The House Of Love 3. Swampabilly Hop 4. Spanish Blue 5. Blue Rhumba 6. Night In Paamul 7. Gringo 8. Surf Boogie 9. Beauty And The Beach 10. Tango De Milo

aquaauqa

Aqua Velvets Nomad

While the Aqua Velvets have been at the forefront of the surf revival, their music is no slavish rehash of the genre's past glories. Instead the group offers an intriguing mix of surf stylings alongside a more complex menu of echo-laden Ennio Morricone-style spaghetti-Western soundtrack music, Latin rhythms, shimmering psychedelia, and ultrahip lounge lizardry. Nomad is their third and most accomplished effort, thanks to the sensual sway of the title track opener, the gradually building intensity of "Surf Nouveau," the evocative (and wonderfully titled) "Smoking Panatelas on the Blue Mediterranean Sea," and the roiling "Holly Tiki." And that's just the first four tracks. Overall, Nomad offers the perfect accompaniment for your next surfin' safari or even a quiet evening on the couch. --Daniel Durchholz

1. Nomad 2. Surf Nouveau 3. Smoking Panatelas On The Blue Mediterranean Sea 4. Holly Tiki 5. Snorkle Mask Replica 6. Return To Paia 7. Ho'okipa 8. In A Spanish Mood 9. Nervous On Neptune 10. Summer At Dreampoint 11. Shakahoochie 12. Shrunken Head

aquanoms

Aqua Velvets Guitar Noir

The cover art is striking. Palm trees framing a cat's eye moon over the golden gate bridge. A view only obtainable from Treasure Island. Its easy to forget that San Franscisco was the home of Sam Spade--a place where Vertigo could be made--Mort Sahl could tell topical jokes between jazz sets, or people would pass around a jug of wine at a poetry reading. This music has all the ambience of the cool, old, San Fransciso of pulp detective novels, beats and cool jazz. think "Day in the Life of a Private Eye" summarizes the concept here--"Guitar Noir" could be good music for "Film Noir". Way cool in every sense of the word.

1. Guitar Noir 2. Prelude To Subterranea 3. Subterranea 4. Mysterious Mambo 5. Casbah Club 6. Venetian Silhouettes 7. Time Tripped 8. Day In The Life Of A Private Eyes 9. Slow Dance With A Fast Girl 10. Twilight Of The Hepcats 11. Aqua Nova 12. Silver Of Moon 13. Moodswing Sonata 14. Mermaids After Midnight

aquanoir

Aqua Velvets SurfMania

The one that started it all. Possibly the first modern surf revival group to be signed by a major label.

1. surfmania 2. mexican rooftop afternoon 3. martini time 4. zamora 5. mastering the art of falling down 6. martin denny esq 7. surf samba 8. a raymond chandler evening 9. cabana del gringo 10. hawaiian blue 11. green sunshine 12. kashmir sweater

aqasurf

Atlantics CBS years 63-65 vol1

The Atlantics were to Australia what the Shadows were to England, and their sound is much like that might imply, except that the Atlantics often used very fast drum work and were more tweaky. This is a solid slab of 50% of their CBS Records output.

1. Moon Man
2. Dark Eyes
3. Bombora
4. Greensleeves
5. Adventures In Paradise
6. The Gremlin King
7. Glassy Walls
8. Turista
9. Surfers Paradise
10. Blue Bottles
11. The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise
12. Free Fall
13. The Boys
14. The Crusher
15. Hootenanny Stomp
16. Coral Island
17. Tequilla Stomp
18. Tahitian Waters
19. The Teddy Bears' Picnic Stomp
20. The Gremlin From The Kremlin
21. Shark Attack
22. Sos (Stomp On Stomp)
23. Stompede
24. Arabian Surf
25. Stomping Time

atlcbs1

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Space Cossacks - Tsar Wars

I've been hooked on the Space Cossacks ever since I bought their split 7" with the Penetrators back in 1997, a recording I didn't think they could ever surpass. "Tsar Wars," however, does surpass it, by far.
I hear you asking, "what's so great about these guys, it's just surf, right?" Shut your filthy little mouth- I don't think you even have to like surf to enjoy the Cossacks! The music is purely aesthetic, and largely flawless. People who buy music looking for something that is beautiful, entertaining and fresh can find it in "Tsar Wars." Sound a little too commercial for you surf fans? You never learn, do you? There is nothing commercial about the Cossacks- in fact, they are much less commercial than most of your surf acts, today. While many of the same spacing and racing themes are present in the material, the Cossacks embelish their titles with clever little puns and humor. The music itself follows the same path. Very rarely does the band drift into the typical 1st, 4th, 5th blues structure so common (overplayed!) in surf, and the riffs use all sorts of scales unimaginable to some one who has been hearing the same regurgitated music for so many years. Pongraic is a madman on this record, playing some swift, fantastic leads that blow your mind- if he impressed you on "Interstellar Stomp," he will doubtlessly drop your jaw on "Tsar." Let's not take credit away from the others, though, because much of the song writing and supporting glue is in the other members. Gray and English contribute about the same amount of writing on this record as "Stomp," and the band is without a doubt tighter than they ever were. (And in lieu of "Stomp," you must realize how tight that is!) It always amazes me how well these people click with one another; you hear one song and you read the liners- "Oh, that's one of Pongraic's." Then you hear one that has all the same elements in it, and you realize that it was written by Gray! (Who is a fox, by the way...) On top of it all, the album appears to be a sound track of sorts. Included in the album, in fact, (it's an enhanced CD) is a story that it corresponds with. It's not an outstanding read or anything, but it's fun and it's new. The album itself is brilliantly mastered; the songs flow into one another as if they were one. Perfect, simply perfect.
My personal advice to people who've yet to be turned on to the Cossacks varies. If you're a traditional surf fan, start with "Interstellar Stomp," it's a lot less fresh than this one. But if you're sick of Dick, the Ventures, Pyramids and the thousands of bands that monotonously rip them off today, go with "Tsar Wars," you won't be disappointed. Those of you who already fell in love with the Cossacks way back when, be aware that this record blows away everything they've ever done. Now that I own it - you can enjoy it in marvelous 320. The best version of this in the blogosphere.

1. Exolumina
2. Space Race
3. The Apes of Wrath
4. Tsunami Tsurprise
5. Escape From Gulag 17
6. Sea of Tranquility
7. The Defector
8. The Crusher
9. Cossack Rocket Patrol
10. The Jewel of Duende
11. Departure
12. Beyond the Third Star
13. Tsar Wars
14. Fiesta Del Cossacapulco
15. Tradewinds

spcosssw

BTW - I'm taking a break in August, life is getting in the way, so the posts won't be as long as usual, but they will be coming. It's getting harder and harder to find great goodies (and more expensive) so for August - I'm going to repost stuff that has gone byebye. Now is the time for requests - if any of you out there want a repost of SOMETHING posted here in FCCL since DAY 1 - now is the time to ask for it. That will be part of the August posts.

Thank you all for following and commenting, let's keep spreading the word.

Cheers

DaBoss

Doughboys, Playboys and Cowboys The Golden Years of Western Swing Set

This is a great panorama of Western Swing from its origins with Bob Wills and Milton Brown working together inthe Original Light Crust Dough Boys in the early 1930s to Tex Williams' great electric swing band from just after WWII. I've had these sides since Columbia issue an earlier version on LP more than 20 years ago.

This music has little to do with what was considered Country music at the time or its emasculated mutant descendants in Nashville.

This was not marketed as Country music. In fact in 1945 when Bob Wills, the acme of Western SWing, was the biggest grossing public attraction in the entertainment business, he had his sole invitation to the Grand Ole Opry, and then he almost walked out of there before he played a song because the hayseeds wouldn't let him bring on his drums and horns (not allowed onthe Opry until the late 1950s!).

Western Swing comes from Jazz from the pop Jazz of the 20s and early 1930s, included people who went back and forth between bands like Wills and Spade Cooley to the white big bands (though Bob Wills once tried to hire a black alto player[against the law in Oklahoma] and of late Les Paul has taken to claiming he saw Charlie Christian sit in with the Playboys at Cains and there are pictures of the Playboys having drinks in Chicago with black Jazz greats like Ben Webster!!). Townsend Wills' biographer interviewed many Playboys and none of them felt they were part of Country, but part of Jazz.

Basically it begins with people trying to play Jazz and Blues influenced music with the instruments of the old Southwestern Barn dance bands: guitar, fiddle, piano, adding in drums, and in many bands all the instruments of the Jazz orchestras. Very quickly Bobby Dunne added in the electric Hawaii, pedaless steel guitar and Leon McAuliffe who replaced him in the Doughboys and went with Wills was so well known that Bob Wills' introduction to him "Take it Away Leon" became a catch phrase in the whole country and beyond in the 1940s!

At its most hyperbolic height (captured here in the Space Cooley Orchestra's Oklahoma Stomp, a recording anyone with a set of ears should treasure) you had 16 and 18 piece orchestras with full fiddle sections (in the early 1960s Wills even rounded his fiddles with a violist from the Lawrence Welch band!), complete reed sections, and more brass than they needed, and exotic additions like the Harpist who kicks off The Oklahoma Stomp.

Further on than these recordings go, you would have players like Tiny Moore and Johnny Gimble who incorporated Bebop styles in their solos.

Along the way, mostly during that war time period when recording bans and players going in and out of the army and different bands make following a little harder, the straight western swing style of combining a guitar, steel guitar, and sometimes electric mandolin trio alternating with fiddle choirs took hold as the paradigm for Western Swing. For some reason in most bands the horns seemed to disappear or roll down to just one after WWII.

One thing about this music is that a very high level of musical technique and education became more and more part of the Western Swing environment. We know that European Jazmen like Stephan Grappelli followed the recordings of Hugh Farr who played with the sons of the pioneers and later Spade Cooley, and that Down Beat magazine described Eldon Shamblin out of Bob Wills' band as the best rythm guitar player in the country (slighting Freedie Green who even Eldon probably acknowledge was better).

The other thing in contrast with much of what was being presented as country music contemporaneously is that this was not being presented as "old time music," craddling close to old conventions, but a new hot dangerous music, drawn as close as comfort would allow from Black sources, from the dangerous white swing bands, and from the part of down home music involved in drinking, dancing, cheating, and other things not permitted in the Baptist Southeast.

WSM Grand Old Opry Stars toured the deep South playing in school auditoriums, church houses, and public squares. From the beginning Western swing belonged in barrooms, in dance halls, and other places where "the wine and liquor flow." Even Hank Williams wasn't allowed to use the word "beer" when he sang "My Bucket's got a hole in it" on the Opry. Meanwhile Western Swingers like Wills and Brown were singing about Cocaine and Opium, whiskey and beer back in the early 1930s.

And Smokie Woods wasn't called smokie cause he liked Tobacco. LOL. In fact his tune here called "Everybody's Trukin," about what is done "up in Harlem" includes much use of a word that does sound like truckin', but does not contain an r or a T but does start with an F!!

No this is not Nashville Country or even old time country music. This is Western guys and gals trying to be jazzy, bluesy, wild, whiskey soaked, drug high, hip to the secrets of Negroid nights of "truckin," playing their hearts out fast hot and heavy!

Anyone with ears should own this collection!

ps another funky side note to this is on the great Hit\
"Smoke, Smoke, Smoke (That Cigarette)" both Tex Williams who sang it and Merle Travis who wrote it died of lung cancer!

DISC 1: THE EYES OF TEXAS (1932-1936)

1. Sunbonnet Sue - Fort Worth Doughboys
2. Nancy Jane - Fort Worth Doughboys
3. Oh You Pretty Woman - Milton Brown & His Brownies
4. Brownie's Stomp - Milton Brown & His Brownies
5. Osage Stomp - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
6. Who Walks in When I Walk Out - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
7. Boyd's Blue - Bill Boyd & His Cowboy Ramblers
8. I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart - Patsy Montana & the Prairie Ramblers
9. Sadie Greee (The Vamp of New Orleans) - Roy Newman & His Boys
10. Who's Sorry Now - Milton Brown & His Brownies
11. Down by the O-H-I-O - Milton Brown & His Brownies
12. Barn Dance Rag - Bill Boyd & His Cowboy Ramblers
13. Never No More Blues - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
14. Too Busy - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
15. Rambler's Stomp - Doug Bine & His Dixie Ramblers
16. Eyes of Texas - Milton Brown & His Brownies
17. Yellow Rose of Texas - Milton Brown & His Brownies
18. Red's Tight Like That - The Tune Wranglers
19. Buster's Crawdad Song - The Tune Wranglers
20. Big Daddy Blues - Jimmie Revard's Oklahoma Playboys
21. Feather Your Nest - Lem Fowler's Washboard Wonders
22. Dirty Dog - Jimmie Revard
23. My Galveston Gal - Milton Brown & His Brownies
24. El Rancho Grande - The Tune Wranglers
25. Texas Sand - The Tune Wranglers

dpcd1

Doughboys, Playboys and Cowboys The Golden Years of Western Swing D2

DISC 2: PLAYBOY STOMP (1937)

1. Women Women Women - Shelly Lee Alley
2. Mean Old Lonesome Blues - Buddy Jones
3. Bring It on Down to My House - Derwood Brown & His Musical Brownies
4. Corrine, Corrina - Cliff Bruner
5. One Sweet Letter From You - Cliff Bruner
6. Fort Worth Stomp - The Crystal Springs Ramblers
7. Women ('Bout to Make a Wreck Out of Me) - Buddy Jones
8. Streamlined Mama - Buddy Jones
9. Blue Guitars - The Light Crust Doughboys
10. Dirty Dog Blues - Mountain Mountaineers
11. Mississippi Sandman - Modern Mountaineers
12. Hot Tamale Pete - Bob Skyles & His Skyrockets
13. Married Man Blues - The Nite Owls
14. There'll Be Some Changes Made - W. Lee O'Daniel & his Hillbilly Boys
15. Dirty Hangover Blues - W. Lee O'Daniel & his Hillbilly Boys
16. Lose Your Blues and Laugh at Life - Jimmie Revard's Oklahoma Playboys
17. Range Rider Stomp - The Range Riders
18. Hold That Critter Down - The Sons of the Pioneers
19. Chicken Reel Stomp - The Tune Wranglers
20. Playboy Stomp - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
21. Moonlight in Oklahoma - Smokey Wood
22. Keep on Truckin' - Smokey Wood
23. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) - Derwood Brown & His Musical Brownies
24. Just Once Too Often - The Light Crust Doughboys
25. Loudmouth - Modern Mountaineers

dpcd2

Doughboys, Playboys and Cowboys The Golden Years of Western Swing D3

DISC 3: TOBACCO STATE SWING (1938-1941)

1. Kangaroo Blues - Cliff Bruner
2. Pine State Honky Tonk - Claude Casey & His Pine State Playboys
3. Better Quit It Now - Adolph Hofner
4. Pussy, Pussy, Pussy - The Light Crust Doughboys
5. I'll Keep My Old Guitar - Adolph Hodner His Texans
6. Cowboy's Swing - Hank Penny & His Radio Cowboys
7. Lonesome Road Blues - W. Lee O'Daniel & his Hillbilly Boys
8. Liza Pull Down the Shades - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
9. Truck Driver's Blues - Cliff Bruner
10. My Untrue Cowgirl - Jewel Cowboys
11. San Antonio Rose - Cliff Bruner
12. Gonna Get Tight - Sunshine Boys
13. Let's Make Believe We're Sweethearts - The Light Crust Doughboys
14. Mississippi Muddle - Hank Penny & His Radio Cowboys
15. Billy Boy - Louise Massey & Her Westerners
16. Good Gracious Gracie - The Light Crust Doughboys
17. Mean Mean Mama (From Meana) - The Light Crust Doughboys
18. Jones Stomp - Port Arthur Jubileers
19. Rockin' Rollin' Mama - Buddy Jones
20. Blue Steel Blues - Ted Daffan's Texans
21. New San Antonio Rose - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
22. Bob Wills Special - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
23. Pussywillow - Port Arthur Jubileers
24. Tobacco State Swing - Hank Penny & His Radio Cowboys

dpcd3

Doughboys, Playboys and Cowboys The Golden Years of Western Swing D4

DISC 4: OAKIE BOOGIE (1941-1947)

1. Draftboard Blues - Cliff Bruner
2. Whatcha Gonna Do - The Hi-Flyers
3. Cotton Eyed Joe - Adolph Hofner
4. Sally's Got a Wooden Leg - The Sons of the West
5. What's the Matter With Deep Elem - Sunshine Boys
6. Li'l Liza Jane - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
7. Pistol Packin' Mama - Al Dexter
8. Forgive Me One More Time - Spade Cooley & His Orchestra
9. Shame on You - Spade Cooley & His Orchestra
10. Steel Guitar Stomp - Hank Penny
11. Boogie Woogie Boy - Porky Freeman Trio
12. That's What I Like About the South - Cliff Bruner
13. Stay a Little Longer - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
14. Oklahoma Blues - Zeke Clements
15. Oklahoma Stomp - Spade Cooley & His Orchestra
16. Nails in My Coffin - Jerry Irby With His Texas Ranchers
17. Bob Wills Two Step - Luke Wills Rhythm Busters
18. I Got Texas in My Soul - Tex Williams & the Western Caravan
19. Wildcat Mama - Hank Penny
20. Betty Ann - Jesse Ashlock
21. One Year Ago Tonight - Don Churchill & Texas Mavericks
22. Oakie Boogie - Johnny Tyler
23. Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) - Tex Williams & the Western Caravan
24. Square Dance Boogie - Johnnie Lee Wills
25. Humpty Dumpty Heart - Hank Thompson

dpcd4
Related Posts with Thumbnails