Loud, Fast, and Out of Control: The Wild Sounds of 50s Rock 1999, Rockin' Bones: 1950s Punk and Rockabilly 2006

Here's two four-CD box sets that both cover the rocking 1950s, but they are certainly not the same product. Both are from Rhino Records. Both feature 50s music that parents of the day would not appreciate. Given that those parents were raised on The Andrews Sisters and Benny Goodman this should come as no surprise. Loud, Fast and Out of Control covers a broader range of sounds and hits a few more of the big name artists that anyone (over 60) will recognize. Rockin' Bones focuses more on rockabilly, and as such includes a few more artists and songs that will be unfamiliar to most listeners.

As an introduction to what made early rock and roll sound dangerous to adult ears, either will help a young person today in an academic study of the era. For the older music fan that wants to dive deep into 50s rock, both are almost indispensable.  

Several writers have complained that the two sets have too much overlap, and I have thought that myself. So I did the dull work of actually finding out how many songs they share. Both sets have just over 100 songs. There are fifteen identical songs that are included on both sets. There are also four songs that are included on both, but in versions by different artists. So there is less that a CD's worth of duplication. It could (and should) have been avoided by Rhino without significant loss to either set, but it isn't as big of a deal as I thought it was.

I think Loud, Fast and Out of Control is the better all-rounder. It's got more familiar material and still throws enough lesser-knowns into the mix to keep things interesting. But Rockin' Bones, with it's focus on rockabilly, has more to offer someone already tuned into the early days of rock and roll. If you already have some early rock compilations, Rockin' Bones will have more new material you haven't heard.

I'm happy to have them both. Neither appear to be available through streaming, a situation that applies to many great compilations. Both are available used at reasonable prices well below their original cost. As usual with Rhino, the booklets that come with the sets are well done and discuss each song individually.

Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives Space Junk 2025

Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives have been together for over twenty years. They have made at least twelve records. They are essentially a country band, but that is a pigeon hole a bit too tight for these guys. All four members are virtuoso players that can play anything that comes their way. All four are in-demand studio and touring musicians and have played in more bands and on more records than you can count. Their moniker is both cute and funny, and very accurate. There really aren't enough superlatives.

This record will probably disappoint some of their die hard country fans. It's got some country sounds on it, but it shares more in common with Los Straightjackets and the Ventures than with country music. It's an instrumental rock record, and it is amazing. Stuart and Kenny Vaughn are both super hot guitarists, and bassist Chris Scruggs could probably play all the parts himself, since he plays guitar, mandolin, steel guitar and drums. Harry Stinson is a top-tier drummer. They are all songwriters, and good ones, so these instrumentals are beautifully crafted. There are no weak tracks.

This one could have bumped several from my top ten list for 2025, and probably should have, but I just discovered it a few days ago.

On Marty's web site, there's this quote: "We thought the world needed a fresh instrumental album by a pretty good band, so we composed twenty instrumentals and took them to the microphones." Pretty good band? Humility is nice, but Marty Stuart knows better.

Merry Christmas

Brinsley Schwarz Shouting At The Moon 2025

Brinsley Schwarz (the man, not the eponymous band) has had a long and interesting career. He first formed Kippington Lodge with schoolmate Nick Lowe in 1967. The band renamed itself Brinsley Schwarz after their lead guitarist in 1969. Along with Schwarz and Lowe on bass, the band included Bob Andrews on keys and Billy Rankin on drums. In 1972 Ian Gomm was added on guitar. The band made six records between 1970 and 1974, all of which are well worth hearing. Nick Lowe wrote the majority of the songs, although Schwarz, Gomm and Andrews also contributed. 

After a brief stint touring with Ducks Deluxe, Schwarz formed The Rumour with Bob Andrews back on keys plus Martin Belmont (guitar), Andrew Bodnar (bass), and Stephen Goulding (drums). The Rumour released three records between 1977-1980, but are best known as the band behind Graham Parker. Parker and the Rumour made Parker's first five records between 1976-1980. Schwarz toured again with Ducks Deluxe, and also Carlene Carter and Garland Jeffreys. Then for twenty years in the 90s and 2000s, he was a professional luthier. 

The Rumour reformed behind Parker from 2011 to 2015, releasing two more records. After the Graham Parker and The Rumour reunion Schwarz returned to recording as a solo artist. This is his third solo record after Unexpected, a self released album in 2016, and Tangled in 2021. All three were produced by James Hallawell, who also played keyboards. Schwarz plays all guitars and basses, and there's drummers, occasional strings, and on this new one, tasty sax by Simon Taylor. All three are good records, but this new one is wonderful all the way through.

What does it sound like? Well, Nick Lowe, The Band, Mark Knoffler, the Rumour, Brinsley Schwarz (the band), maybe a touch of later Steely Dan. Schwarz has a smokey voice and plays great, understated guitar. Tasty lead breaks abound. He's not flashy, but always right and smooth in a George Harrison, Hugh McCraken, Robbie Robertson, Larry Carlton sort of way. James Hallawell plays hot keys, especially when he uses the Hammond B3. Simon Taylor's sax is always just right, and sounds like a whole horn section on a few. There's some swinging almost jazz, some driving rock with wah-wah guitar, some acoustic balladry, some bluesy moments, even a funky one. We get serious, romantic, and humorous lyrical content, a bitter lover's tale about an unappeasable woman, even a gorgeous Graham Parker cover. No weak songs at all.

The recording is very good, with an organic sound where every instrument can be heard contributing. Everything in place. I don't think I can communicate how good it is. If any of this sounds interesting to you, I implore you to give it a listen.

Best of 2025

 

Galactic and Irma Thomas Audience with the Queen. My #1. (The rest are in no particular order.). Irma Thomas continues to produce one late-career masterpiece after another. After The Rain 2006, Simply Grand 2008, Love Is The Foundation 2020, and now Audience with the Queen. Galactic shines with songs, arrangements and knockout playing.

Sloan Based On The Best Seller. Canadian pop-rockers continue a hot streak. 

Ricky Byrd NYC Made. Veteran rocker and long-time Blackheart makes a great record. It doesn't need to be complicated, it's rock 'n' roll.

Gyasi Here Comes The Good Part. Bowie/Bolan hybrid brings back the 1970s without stealing every riff. Great songs, solid musicianship, right attitude.

London Suede Antidepressants. Since their return in 2013, London Suede has made five well-received records. Glam is not dead. See Gyasi above.

Wet Leg Moisturizer. A big step forward from their solid debut, and a fine record all around.

Haim I Quit. Another big leap forward from their previous work, See Wet Leg above.

Van Morrison Remembering Now. Van returns to greatness. Shockingly good after several years of real junk. Remarkable recovery, and way unexpected.

Mavis Staples Sad and Beautiful World. Mavis never shies away from politics, protest or faith. A great song selection, lots of reverent guests, and Staples' magnificent, weathered voice. Revel in her very deep and spiritual soul.

Peter Holsapple The Face of 68. Holsapple has been a part of much great music. In the dBs, as a touring pro with REM and Hootie and the Blowfish, in the Continental Drifters, with Chris Stamey as a duo, and on his solo records, Out of My Way in 1997, and Game Day in 2018. He puts it all together on this new one.

Honorable Mention Just Part of the Whole Release: David Bowie Montreux Jazz Festival. This 2002 concert recording was broadcast on radio and unofficial versions have been around. Technically it isn't a new release of its own, but it is two of the CDs in the 13 CD I Can't Give Everything Away (2002-2016) box set. The tour was promoting Heathen, so eight of the twelve songs from Heathen are included, and the live versions beat the studio ones. Well chosen career highlights fill the rest. But wait, there's more, for the final encore, Bowie and the band play all of Low. It is a monster show. The set is available for streaming.

Honorable Mention Reissue/Compilation: Fleetwood Mac Like Crying: The Songs of Danny Kirwin. Every song Kirwin wrote for Fleetwood Mac and released on Then Play On, Kiln House, Future Games, and Bare Trees in chronological order. Kirwin's songwriting, guitar and singing during Fleetwood Mac's most oft-neglected period. Kirwin's songs were balanced with those of Christine McVie and Bob Welsh. Isolating Kirwin's songs is a lovely exercise. Digital only release, at least for now.

Zappadan 2025, Cheaper Than Cheep 2025, One Size Fits All 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe 2025

Well it's that time again. The annual celebration of Frank's life and artistry from Dec. 4 to Dec 21. There are plenty of previous entries at this blog, just click Frank Zappa. There are also others that celebrate around the net. Break out in song or just play some percussion. And vote.

I have been both overwhelmed by the sheer volume, and underwhelmed by the excitement provided by the archival releases of Frank's work from the vault. There have been great ones of course, but not unlike the Grateful Dead, we really don't need every live gig Zappa ever performed released to the music buying public.

But this is Zappa's best band during his period of greatest musical treasure. Some may argue that the original Mothers of Invention were his best band, and I certainly must respect that as an equally valid opinion.

Cheaper Than Cheep was a two hour video Frank produced for television in 1974. Technical difficulties that apparently could not be corrected without modern technology left the video and it's audio in the can until now. This is the same six piece band (plus Jeff Simmons) that made One Size Fits All later in 1974. The only previously available live recording by this group is You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Volume 2 (The Helsinki Concert). 

Highlights are many. Inca Roads is great, as is Let's Make The Water Turn Black, Dupree's Paradise and More Trouble Every Day. Ruth Underwood shines on everything, but especially RDNZL. The video is currently available on YouTube for your entertainment.

They really opened the flood gates for the 1974 band this year, as they also released One Size Fits All 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe. The original record is one of Zappa's best, and the Deluxe version includes over a CDs worth of outtakes, basic tracks, and alternates that are at least as good as most of those things. But wait, you also get two CDs of a live performance recorded in Rotterdam in September of 1974. Great performances of Florentine Pogen, Montana and Cosmic Debris shine, and the entire show is special. (OK, the drum solo is too long, but aren't they all?)

So if you aren't sick of new/old Zappa live recordings, they've delivered two this year that are as good as any of them. Happy Zappadan!

Stranger Cole Rough and Tough 2025

 

Stranger Cole isn't the household reggae name that Marley, Tosh, Cliff, Heptones and Steel Pulse are, at least in the USA, and that is a shame. He released his first single, Rough and Tough, rerecorded here, in 1963. Throughout the sixties and early seventies he released over 70 singles as a solo performer and also in duet with Patsy Todd, another woefully neglected Jamaican singer. A star of the pre-reggae rocksteady and ska styles, he started releasing albums from 1976 through 1986, after which he took twenty years off and was employed in a variety of jobs in his adopted home of Toronto. He returned to recording and touring in 2006.

This new record presents new recordings of several of his hits from the sixties- the title track, Bangarrang, Crying Every Night and Just Like a River. Added to those are a variety of covers, some of which seem like odd choices, yet they come off as inspired. War's Low Rider and Marley's No Woman, No Cry make perfect sense. Journey's Don't Stop Believing and Tears For Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World done reggae style are both fun and barely recognizable. Everything else on the record is just delightful, and rock solid.

The band is talented, the recording is excellent, and the 83 year old Cole is a fine singer. What, you didn't know there was great new reggae?