BW's Saturday #83

 

"Oopin' Doopin' Doopin'": THE WEEKEND MIX

 

Sleazy Records out of Spain, a label that seems to specialize in obscure garage rock, soul, punk and rockabilly, have released a five volume set of raucous music that they are calling "Black A Billy." The music across these five records has been giving me great pleasure this past week. And while the awkward title of this set would lead one to believe you'd be listening to rockabilly played by black musicians, the actual music covers a lot more ground than the usual "dooda dooda DEEDA DEEDA dooda dooda DEEDA DEEDA." 

I'd never consider Little Walter or Big Bill Broonzy rockabilly artists, but they are here, as well as J.B. Hutto and Earl Hooker, and what they offer is something closer to rockabilly than their usual type of blues.

I guess I am saying all of this because this weekend mix isn't just one thing. I've pulled some favorites from across the five volumes and if rockabilly isn't your thing but you dig the blues, you might dig this. If you dig some raunchy rock and roll like The Sonics, but you're not a big fan of the blues, you might dig this.

The five volumes have some really striking artwork, as well. 

This stuff is the real deal and I hope you enjoy it.

TRACKLIST

Lookin' For My Baby- The Nightriders
Lovey Dovey Lovey One- Junior Wells
Cry Over You- Lonesome Lee
Kiss Kiss Kiss- Clifford Curry Jr.
Frog Hop- Earl Hooker
Hey Miss Fancy- The Premiers
Baby Let's Play House- Arthur Gunter
Pretty Little Pearly- Click-Clacks
Tough Enough- The Bees
Down On The Farm- Big Al Downing w/ Poe Kats
Hip Shakin'- J.B. Hutto
It's Too Late Brother- Little Walter
Hey Hey- Big Bill Broonzy
Oopin' Doopin' Doopin'- Little George Smith
21 Days In Jail- Magic Sam
Lily White Mama, Jet Black Papa- Ray Scott
Wildcat Tamer- Tarheel Slim
You Can't Make Me Doubt My Baby- Bunker Hill
Tennessee Woman- Fenton Robinson & The Dukes
Teenage Rock- Ronnie Jones & The Classmates

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Sir Paul, Emitt, Billy and Cal & The Weight Of Early Promise

Cal Everett has just released his first solo record, "Weight Of Early Promise." I didn't know who Cal Everett was, but he was apparently part of the 80's band 4 Out Of 5 Doctors, whose name I vaguely remember seeing in record stores 40 years ago. As with most power pop releases, names like McCartney and Emitt Rhodes get tossed around, and while I do hear more than a little of both on this record, what I am mostly hearing is Billy Joel, and that is not a complaint.

"Weight Of Early Promise" clocks in at almost 60 minutes, and that is usually a turnoff for me. But as the record started to unfold, I didn't want it to end. This is one of the best records I've heard this year.

(h/t Steve Simels' Power Pop) 

 

 

Pretentious Corksniffers

 

The list was bad enough. But watching these smug know-nothings trying to explain their way out of it is truly cringemaking. 

Jon Caramanica is especially punchable.

(h/t cmealha) 

"Look For Your Mind!": The Lemon Twigs Are Bigger, Better And Smarter

 

 

The Lemon Twigs' new one, "Look For Your Mind!" had me right out of the gate with the title cut, a brilliant homage to one of my favorite Who songs, "Disguises." By the end of track three, I had to stop, take a breath and start all over again. That third track "Nothin' But You" finds Michael D'Addario channeling Alex Chilton on a jangler that could have been on Big Star's "Radio City." That would have been enough, but they tag on the Raspberries' "Overnight Sensation" coda as this song's coda and well, I needed to hear it all over again.

Yes, I am gushing, and at the time of this writing, I've only heard the first three songs, twice. But I can't think of an active band or artist that manages to push all of my pop music buttons they way these kids do. 

Okay, back to the record. 

I've just listened to four more songs, including one called "Gather Round" that has a Jellyfish vibe, and the next stunner "Fire & Gold," which stopped me again. At this point I need to stop trying to figure out what I am hearing and just listen. It's fun to recognize chord changes, or quoted bits from older songs, like a nod to Todd Rundgren's melody on "Road To Utopia" in "Fire & Gold." But The D'Addarios are so good at calling up the past, whether in a production trick like phasing on a guitar, or a simple call and answer vocal from a 60's classic, it hardly matters where you first heard it. I'm thrilled to be hearing it all again in a fresh context.  

This isn't Rutles parody. The Lemon Twigs know better. This is hours and hours of playing records and proving it wasn't a waste of time. 

"Paul's Boutique," the Beastie Boys masterpiece, is said to have sampled between 100-150 songs. There is no sampling on this record. The D'Addarios have hundreds of their favorite songs in their heads that they seem to effortlessly call back whenever they deem necessary. 

Contrived? I don't hear it that way. It's been working thus far, so I have no issue with it now, especially when every Tom, Dick and Chilton wannabe power pop band releases the same weak Beatles meets Big Star record over and over again. The Lemon Twigs songwriting is miles ahead of most in their field and if they feel like winking and nudging their production with obvious references to Brian Wilson or Pete Townshend, more power to them.

If "Everything Harmony" was their folk rock record and "A Dream Is All We Know" was their sunshine/power pop record, "Look To Your Mind" feels like a deliberate tip of the hat to both Big Star and the Raspberries. I keep hearing both bands. Whether it's Michael doing that Eric Carmen scream or using chord changes from "I Can Remember," from the Raspberries debut, or the Ardent Studio tone of the guitars, "Look For Your Mind!" is a triumphant affair and should please not just fans of the aformentioned bands, but all fans of melody, harmony and of course, record making.

 

 

Songs Of The Week, 2026: 5/2-5/8

 

Lovely- Suicidal Tendencies
Heaven Tonight- Hole
J'ai Connais Pas- Rickie Lee Jones
Idle Hands- Harlem River Drive
I Won't Cry- Johnny Adams
Bassanova- DJ Smash
Look Out Mabel- G. Davey Crockett

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