The Rivieras - Let's Have A Party (U.S.A. 102 - Mono)

I used to have a fascination with The Rivieras because of shredding covers of their song "California Sun" by great bands like the Dictators and the Ramones. Then I learned they were from LaPorte, Ind - where my wife's family is from - and where I usually spend Sunday evenings. Jen's dad and mom saw the Rivieras multiple times around town in LaPorte, which kind of blows my mind.

I was psyched to find this LP in South Bend, Ind. Around 30 miles from LaPorte. Anyway, none of this stuff appears to be on CD aside from the hit -- so enjoy the Rivieras in glorious monophonic sound!

Listen to California Sun (MP3)
Listen to H.B. Goose Step (MP3)

Or just DOWNLOAD / DESCARGA The Rivieras "Let's Have A Party" LP!!

01 - California Sun
02 - Danny Boy
03 - Twist & Shout
04 - Little Donna
05 - Church Key
06 - Killer Joe
07 - Let's Have A Party
08 - Rockin Robin
09 - H.B. Goose Step
10 - Keep A Knockin'
11 - Oh, Boy
12 - When The Saints (sic)

The Louvin Brothers (Ira and Charles) - (MGM M/MS-598) - 1956

Very rare, unavailable on CD from what I can tell. The first record the Louvin's put out (on MGM-Metro, 1956) before they were told "You can't sell tobacco with gospel music" -- and slid their way into harmonic history. This record contains their nuclear classic "The Great Atomic Power," (a different version that Capitol put out, I believe) as well as other ominous, prescient tracks like "Insured Beyond the Grave" (AIG) and "Do You Live What You Preach" (Ted Haggard).


01 - The "Get Acquainted" Waltz
02 - Weapon of Prayer
03 - They've Got The Church Outnumbers
04 - Do You Live What You Preach
05 - You'll Be Rewarded Over There
06 - (I'm Changing the Words To) My Love Song
07 - Robe of White
08 - The Great Atomic Power
09 - Insured Beyond the Grave
10 - The Gospel Way

Download the first ever Louvin Brother's record
DOWNLOAD NOW!! DESCARGA!!

Sample
Insured Beyond the Grave (MP3)

Wool - ABC Records (1969)

Larry Grogan, proprietor of the mighty Funky 16 Corners and Iron Leg blogs recently posted a 45 of "The Boy with the Green Eyes," which inspired me to pull out this rekkid of funky ass honkies. Always an excellent, fonkay listen! Also, my 5 year old is fascinated with the album cover.

For a sample, check out the dynamic >>
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE (Mp3)

Or just DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE WOOL ALBUM NOW!!!!!!

01 - Love, Love, Love, Love, Love
02 - Combination Of The Two
03 - If They Left Us Alone
04 - To Kingdom Come
05 - I Don't Like You Anymore
06 - Any Way That You Want Me
07 - It Was Such A Lovely Night (Loving You Tonight)
08 - The Boy With The Green Eyes
09 - Funky Walk

Lloyd Green

Great little record by shredding pedal steel session demon Lloyd Green, on his own Little Darlin' label.

Download Lloyd Green - Green Country now!!!

Cold Blood -- from Sisyphus LP

These honkies from San Francisco were a rock-funk hybrid before getting totally funky on their legendary Thriller LP later on. This is their second LP (1971) and kicks in with the awesome hardcore funk of Shop Talk, before turning into a Janis Joplinesque snoozefest. Anyway, GREAT OPENING TRACK! Intense drum break at 5:02

Download!!!
Cold Blood - Shop Talk

Les Paul & Mary Ford

Great 7" inch EP by techno-artist Les Paul, manipulating the geetars, Mary's vocals, basically everything in the room.

01 - The World is Waiting for the Sunrise.mp3
02 - Meet Mister Callaghan.mp3
03 - Tiger Rag.mp3
04 - Tennessee Waltz.mp3

Roosevelt Nettles

The B-side of this Chess 45 by a one Roosevelt Nettles, "Drifting Heart," kind of blows my mind. The almost slow motion singing sounds like it's on the the wrong speed -- and the long delay before the band comes in...I think this is what you would call beautiful music. The A-side Mathilda was later covered by the Texas Tornados with Freddy Fender on vocals. Totally a Freddy Fender style song! Pardon if you will the campfire crackles

Side A - Mathilda
Side B - Drifting Heart

New Colony Six!

I found three 45s by seminal Chicago garage-rock band the New Colony Six, including two on the Centaur label (I Lie Awake and I Confess!). This one is on the very similarly named "Sentar" label. I'm only posting one single because I have to admit they are a tidge too popous crackulous. No idea which is the A-side on this.

A - You're Gonna Be Mine
B - Woman

Modern Country Friends!

Every once in awhile you're gonna wanna pay fifty cents for a budget record on the odd chance there's a track where the session musicians got super drunk and weird for their paycheck while the producer is asleep or getting a happy ending massage down the street. This isn't crazy like that -- but these guys have a genuine groove and actually pull off a "country soul" thing that's definitely more soul than country.

Download >>

Organized
Nashville Detroit Spiritual
Saxy

more Hank Ballard and the Midnighters!

More great sides from one of my favorite R&B singers, who I'm thankful I got to see live on a number of occasions. Always stirring and fun at the same time.

Side A - Buttin' in

Side B - I'm Learning

Out of Print Buck Owens!

Great album featuring the Buck, Don and the rest of the Buckaroos in their prime.

Download Roll Out the Red Carpet now!!

The Beau Brummels Vol 2

I love this record. Their second album of 1965. They really started the whole San Fran thing innit? Just when you're about to accuse them of being a Byrds ripoff, you find they were before the Byrds. Ahem. Brummels rule.

Download The Beau Brummels Vol 2 Now!

Neil (Batman Theme) Hefti - Hefti in Gotham City

This record by Neil "Batman/Odd Couple Theme" Hefti is really kind of great. The production is loud, the musicians are excellent and heavy, the grooves are here if you stay with it.

DOWNLOAD - Neil "Batman Theme" Hefti - Hefti in Gotham City - NOW!!!



Found at S&J Stereo in Highland, Ind.

Hank Ballard & the Midnighters - SPOTLIGHT! on Hank Ballard (King)

Can't think of any singer-songwriter I have more respect for. I once saw him at the Lone Star Cafe in NYC and after playing a few of his great hits, he told a story that his "wife was hit by a Taxi Cab last night and died early this morning." Then I realized he was wearing dark sunglasses. He went on with the show, playing one legendary R&B tune he wrote after another (including his song "The Twist" that Chubby Checker ruined). One of the most memorable nights of music I've ever seen/heard.

This record is a little POPOUS -- what do you want from thick LP from 1961? What do you want for nothing!!?!? I have multiple FAKE-KING LPs by Hank. This is my first original and I'm really happy to have it. No, you cannot have it for $100.

DOWNLOAD - Hank Ballard & the Midnighters - SPOTLIGHT on Hank Ballard - NOW!!



Found at S&J Stereo in Highland, Ind.

Dr. John - "Featuring the Night Trippers"

This is a really strange compilation on "Springboard International Records," a Central New Jersey label with reputed Mafia ties...and one which was shut down by the feds in the 1980s. Wasn't that Uncle Junior and his friend Hesh's racket on the Sopranos? Maybe the Springboard story informed the plot.

Anyway, some AMAZING stuff on here. Obviously this is a collection of 45s, given all the "Part 1, Part 2" and "Vocal" and "Instrumental" versions of the same songs. Hell, it even has a Christmas song.

The most interesting tracks are the 2 by "The Night Trippers" -- not sure when they were recorded, and I don't feel like Googling it. These are "Did She Mention My Name" and "The Grass is Greener."

"Della" is also phenominal, as is the classic "Zu Zu Man"

Enjoy. Think about old Hesh.

DOWNLOAD - Dr. John - Featuring the Night Trippers NOW!!!



Found at S&J Stereo in Highland, Ind.

Gun - Gun Sight

The first album by Brit-Jew acid rock soldiers GUN is as legendary as can be. This is not that record. In fact, I've never heard that one so I can't really guage the acclaim -- but this second album of theirs is heavy as fuck. This is that guy Adrian Gurwitz who played with Ginger Baker ("Baker-Gurwitz Army"). Only on this album he goes by the name "Adrian Curtis" to cover up his Jewiness. Same with his Gurwitz'n brother Paul.

Dig the Jewfros on the cover...and the heavy, drugged out sounds of 1969, done just about right. Definitely a Cream influence way out in front -- but thank God this is sloppier and more raw. Great Kinks cover (Situation Vacant). Too bad Cream didn't think of that.

Out of print on CD, blah blah blah.

DOWNLOAD Gun - Gun Sight NOW!!!



Found at S&J Stereo in Highland, Ind.

Hawkwind - Quark Strangeness & Charm

You wouldn't think that Hawkwind would be making good records in 1977 -- but somehow they made a few: this and PXR5. Eno seems to play a strong influence here (Rob Calvert and he worked together on Captain Lockheed record a few years earlier, not recommended). The title track is killer Roxy-ism. Hassaan I Sahba is train wreck but hilarious.

Yeah, get over the corniness -- and groove to the heavy-yet-sometimes light dynamic space rock. It appears the CD of this is out of print -- so this might be your only chance, hooray!

DOWNLOAD Hawkwind - Quark Strangeness & Charm NOW!!



Found at S&J Stereo in Highland, Ind.

Fucked Up - Misc 7-Inches

Got these at the AV-aerie in Chicago at the Fucked Up show on 2/14/09 -- Valentine's Day.

Litany 7" EP (Havoc Records)
01 - Litany
02 - What Could Have Been
03 - Colour Removal
04 - Reset the Ride

Dance of Death 7" (Deranged Records)
01 - Dance of Death
02 - Zezozose

Crooked Head 7" (Matador Records)
01 - Crooked Head (alt version)
02 - I Hate Summer

Download some FUCKED UP 7-Inches now!


Pink Eyes from Fucked Up's Armpit at Av-Aerie, smell the magic.

Roly Stokers - Aftermaath and Betweeen the Butttons in Mono

The only way to listen to the early Stones is in mono. They rechanneled that shit in stereo so bad, it was a real shame. The stereo vinyl was bad enough -- but the CDs...holy shit bad. So anyway, this is a temporary post so you can grab before I remove (don't want ABKKKCO coming after me). Remember what happened to the Verve, right?

Yeah, these are my two favorite Stones albums and I believe there is no better way to listen to them than in mono.

Found them in NYC at street dealer across from Lincoln Center in late 1980s.

Download Aftermaath and in FUCKIN MONO
Betweeen the Butttons in FUCKIN MONO

The Shoes - Okay / Tomorrow Night

More great guitar pop from Zion, Illinois natives The Shoes on Bomp! Rekkids.

Download The Shoes - Okay / Tomorrow Night