Second Volume – as good as the first. (See earlier W&H review).
This is a collection of material that should ring some contemporary bells, but which was recorded a long time before you were born. There are some nicely full liner notes by Steve Hardstaff if you’re determined to read 4pt text. Each track has a detailed description, with an indication of the sort of thing it prefigured or influenced. The links are sometimes tenuous, but they're still fascinating. I listened to the 20 tracks a few times first, and developed my own ideas about how they fitted into the rock and roll story. It was fun then to read some better informed ideas.
The whole point is that rock n roll (so broadly defined that your head spins) was nothing new and still isn’t. Novelty, sex, dancing, growing up, having fun with home brewed music, topicality, wit … all as old as acne. But a hell of lot more fun. These tracks were recorded in the 30 years between 1924 and 1954, and include some music that had much earlier roots. As a collection they span country blues, hillbilly songs, juke joint bands, a native American peyote dance, an Ella Fitzgerald novelty tune, country songs, city blues and boogie woogie. There's no way they "show the origins of rock and roll": nothing so chaotic and heterogeneous could be nailed to even 20 styles or individuals. But anyone who thought The White Stripes or The Sex Pistols or Ozric Tentacles were doing something brand new would do well to have a good listen to the stuff on here.
|
If you just enjoy occasional bursts of LOUIS JORDAN, SON HOUSE, CHET ATKINS, HARLEM HAMFATS and loads of people you’ve NEVER HEARD OF then grins a mile wide are guaranteed when this CD's on.
JOHNNY "GUITAR" WATSON'S "Space Guitar" is a fabulous opening track. Attitude? Crazy reverb? Way too loud? Absolutely. DIRTY RED'S "Mother Fuya" from 1947 is red raw boogie blues whose inclusion makes the point that recorded profanity wasn’t a modern invention. The HUICHOL TRIBE offer some groovy pre-psychedelia, DOCK BOGS, HANK WILLIAMS and the fabulous WANDA AND RUTH NEAL are all even better than their names.
I wouldn't say this was a work of serious musicology, but it is collected together by people who love this stuff and who know a lot about it. It is huge fun and it is well worth being teased with the serendipitous eclecticism of it.
The Viper Label definitely have something going on.
|
