Posts Tagged ‘rockabilly’

‘Billy Monday: Rhythm Dragons

Posted: May 20, 2013 in new music
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Pick up Rhythm Dragons albums on CD Baby

Pick up Rhythm Dragons albums on CD Baby

They say that if you do something like music or writing, you have to catch the attention of your audience immediately. Rhythm Dragons do that for sure. The first song I heard from Rhythm Dragons is “Flat Top Billy,” which begins with a deep voice shouting “Hey greaser!” The song is pretty much what you’d expect from something that begins that way. It is a swinging song that talks about a guy who looks like he’s from 1959 and his car. And it ends with “Let’s have a PBR!”

On ReverbNation, that song is followed by “I Can’t Swing or Dance.” This is a song with the classic theme of being mismatched with your girl. She likes to wine and dine, he likes drinking. She likes dancing, he doesn’t. The irony in this song is that it has a pretty swingin’ melody. Well, after all, the narrator doesn’t say he can’t play swing: merely that he can’t swing dance.

Now, one thing that makes a good band is if it can take a classic theme and make it seem fresh. In “Booze and the Hugs,” the narrator sings about a relationship that has gone south. In this case, the narrator says he’s not going to open the door for his girl who’s been coming home late from boozing. It’s pretty cool to hear a guy sing a song like this because usually the guy is the one who’s misbehavior is described.

This is pretty straightforward. If you like Reverend Horton Heat, Chances are pretty good you’ll like this band too. Even if you don’t like Reverend Horton Heat, you’ll like this band if you like songs about cars, drinkin’, and chicks that are trouble.

‘Billy Monday: Tennessee Voodoo Coupe

Posted: May 13, 2013 in new music
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Get those boots ready to do some two-steppin'

Get those boots ready to do some two-steppin’

I’ve been featuring a lot of bands recently that straddle the line between modern rockabilly and psychobilly. And of course I dig the sound of those bands. But I also enjoy a band that has that classic rockabilly sound. Tennessee Voodoo Coupe definitely has the classic hillbilly-rockabilly sound with a touch of swing. It’s very clean, and pretty simple stuff that sounds like it was recorded decades ago.

The combination of swing and hillbilly sounds from this band immediately brings Pee Wee King to mind (minus the accordion of course). It’s easy to imagine this being a hit with both the cowboy hat and pompadour crowds. The guitar in “Teenage Boogie” reminds me a lot of Junior Brown. That can’t be a bad thing. I realistically can’t compare many people to Junior Brown.

This is music for your local honky tonk. The sounds of Tennessee Voodoo Coupe would get people two-stepping and swinging on the dance floor. I can also think of one old-time barber shop where I could imagine hearing this band playing while customers get their pompadours touched up. This is real simple. If you like old-fashioned hillbilly music, you’er going to dig Tennessee Voodoo Coupe.

‘Billy Monday: The Living Deads

Posted: May 6, 2013 in new music
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Not your typical rockabilly

Not your typical rockabilly

If you visit the Facebook page of The Living Deads, you will see that the band is described as “not your typical rockabilly.” If you are at all familiar with this blog, you know that we live for music that is not typical. A further description shows that this is one of those bands that fits right in at Incognito:

A rhythm section born of hate, hellfire and brimstone. With a book of matches, can of gas, and a Louisville Slugger we’ll have a party.

See what I mean?

At first listen, you may not realize what is atypical about this band. You hear a great bass line coming (naturally) from an upright bass. You hear a drummer that provides a good rhythm for the band. And you hear female vocals that have a good deal of toughness. What’s atypical about this band is not the fact that home is wherever the band parks its RV. No, the atypical thing about this band is that the guitarist seems to be an open position. In fact, the bio states that “They have been known to Kidnap guitar players from time to time, drag them on stage in a burlap sack and force them to perform.” Now, I don’t know why a guitarist would be forced to play with The Living Deads. Seems to me like it would be a pretty good time for any guitarist.

So maybe this isn’t your typical rockabilly band (who wants typical anyway?), but this band does have a song about an awesome car (“P.O.N.T.I.A.C”), and a song that will get you stomping those two-tone creepers. “Everything is Broke (but our Love)” is everything that is great about rockabilly: a drum beat that will get your heart going, a bass line that makes you wish you could play the doghouse as well as Symphony Tidwell, and an amazing guitar part. If you like rockabilly even a little, get to know The Living Deads.

Billy Monday: The Infamous Swanks

Posted: April 29, 2013 in new music
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These guys play at one tempo (fast) and one volume (loud)

These guys play at one tempo (fast) and one volume (loud)

When you go to the ReverbNation page for The Infamous Swanks, the first song you see listed is “Wake Up.” That is probably something you didn’t want to do on this Monday as you stare another week of drudgery in its ugly face. However, maybe if we all woke up to songs like this, Monday mornings might not seem so horrible. The song gets rolling with some great rapid-fire guitar and then the rhythm explodes. Frankly, there’s no other way to describe it the way the bassist and drummer both attack their instruments. The song is only 2:22, but these guys pack a lot into that short span.

The first couple songs I heard from this band are definitely in the Reverend Horton Heat rockabilly category. Then comes “Shirley’s Temple.” This is still in the rockabilly category, but also adds a fair amount of swing with the horns. I’d love to see this one performed live just to see all the cats and kittens swinging on the dance floor.

You get a relatively small sample (only five songs) of the band on the ReverbNation page, but the sample is big enough that you can get the idea of what they’re all about. This is a band that straddles the line between rockabilly and psychobilly. As a general rule, this band plays its songs loudly and at one tempo: fast. If you’re a fan of Reverend Horton Heat, I have no doubt that The Infamous Swanks will fit right in your collection.

‘Billy Monday: Rocketship Rocketship

Posted: April 22, 2013 in new music
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Surf-tinged rockabilly goodness

Surf-tinged rockabilly goodness

There is no shortage of rockabilly trios. That being the case, there is no shortage of rockabilly guitarists that really know how to play. What is perhaps more unusual in the rockabilly world is when the guitarist is a woman. Before you get your angry letters loaded to send to me, I’m not saying that women can’t play guitar well. I know for a fact that countless women play guitar better than me. Still, rockabilly is very much a boys club, so hearing a female guitarist is unusual. And let me tell you something, loyal reader. Miss Summer of Rocketship Rocketship can play the guitar. If you need a good example of this, check out the surfabilly goodness of “Squad Car!“

And playing guitar isn’t the only thing Miss Summer can do. She also sings with a growl that makes you think she’d not only drink your whiskey straight from the bottle, but also take your last smoke when you’re buzzed and feel like you could really use one. Just listen to “Rude Prude” and see if you disagree.

This band makes some good tunes. Unfortunately, it only has four songs to listen to on ReverbNation, but I know that I want to hear more after getting that small sample.

‘Billy Monday: Screamin’ Rebel Angels

Posted: April 15, 2013 in new music
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Get your pompadour just right and swing with the Angels

Get your pompadour just right and swing with the Angels

If you check out Screamin’ Rebel Angels on ReverbNation, the first song listed is a real attention grabber. At the beginning of the song, Laura Rebel Angel screams, “Are you ready?” Whether you’re ready or not, the song is coming. The band launches into an upbeat tune that straddles the line between rockabilly and doo-wop. It is a fun song and a great introduction to the band.

“Right to Wrong” is a great tune for several reasons. First, this is a song with the classic theme of someone being done wrong (and what would rockabilly be without that theme). Second, this is an upbeat rockabilly tune that will get couples swinging on a dance floor. Seriously, I would love to see this performed live just to see all the folks that would get up and dance to it.

If you’ve ever listened to rockabilly, you know that there are quite a few sweet-voiced female vocalists that immediately come to mind. Laura Rebel Angel does not fall into that sweet-voiced category. Don’t get me wrong. I really enjoy her vocals but she leans more toward the tough than the sweet. (Strangely, her sweetest vocals on ReverbNation are in a song called “Evil Kind of Gal.”) Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Wanda Jackson has built a career on that.  Just listen to “Pretty When You’re Quiet” to hear what I mean. (Oh, by the way, I’d bet good money that “pretty when you’re quiet” is something every woman in history has said to her man.)

If you like some swingin’ rockabilly, check out this band from Brooklyn. It will make you want to get in your hot rod and head to the nearest juke joint where you can swing to your heart’s content.

Screamin’ Rebel Angels on Facebook

Laura Rebel Angel on Twitter (@laurarebelangel)

‘Billy Monday: Reckless Ones

Posted: April 8, 2013 in new music
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The new EP will be available on 7 May

The new EP will be available on 7 May

To give credit where it is due, Reckless Ones was recommended to me by one of our loyal readers on Twitter (@luckyrio21). The recommendation was simple: “here’s a good band for ‘Billy Monday.” Indeed this Minneapolis trio is a good band for ‘Billy Monday. “Desert Rose” is the one song on the band’s Facebook page. The song is driven by that typical rockabilly bass line and it has the sort of haunted feel that is not uncommon in rockabilly songs about lost love. Something about this song brings Rockin’ Ryan and The Real Goners to mind.

In general, that’s the M.O. for this band. The tunes are driven by the bass, the drummer provides a beat that suits the mood of the song, and the singer lays down some crooning vocals that provide the haunted sound. Even the swinging tunes like “Nothin’” have a slightly haunted sound because of the vocals.

If there is one downside to this band, it’s this: its songs are not readily available online. The best way to check out the tunes online is on YouTube. Of course, you could always just buy the albums too. (The new EP will be available 7 May.) Still, this band advertises itself as 100% DIY. We will always support bands with that mantra. If you do too, you should check out Reckless Ones.

‘Billy Monday: The Matadors

Posted: March 25, 2013 in new music
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If you like songs about drinkin', you'll love this album

If you like songs about drinkin’, you’ll love this album

I’ll admit it, loyal reader. I’ve seen enough bands that only have their music on MySpace (yes, MySpace) that it comes as a relief to me when I find bands that make their music readily available. Take The Matadors for instance. This band has several albums available on Bandcamp (click the picture to hear them). The one I am going to write about is Sweet Revenge.

This album begins with “That’s How She Died” and at the very beginning of the song, it sounds like you’re going to get a healthy dose of alt-country (not that there’s anything wrong with that). About 40 seconds in, it becomes this rockabilly romp with a a bluegrass twist provided by both a banjo and a mandolin. And in case you’re wondering, the girl who is the subject of this song dies in a most unflattering way. I’ll let you find that out for yourself when you listen to the song.

The next track “Up All Night” definitely brings some of Lee Rocker’s to mind although this song is more about the guitar than the bass until the end of the song when the bass comes on full force. One thing is for sure: all the musicians on this album know what they’re doing.

Like a lot of great rockabilly albums, this one has a lot of songs about drinking and lost love. The next time I complain that someone has too many songs about drinking will be the first time. Oh, and there is a song about the devil…also a must for a rockabilly band.

If you’ve been looking for some new rockabilly or punkabilly to add to your collection, check out The Matadors.

 

‘Billy Monday: Rumblejetts

Posted: March 18, 2013 in new music
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Loud rock and roll with a kick

Loud rock and roll with a kick

When you visit the Rumblejetts Twitter page, you see the band described as “loud rock and roll music with a kick.” I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it’s like some bands were made for Incognito. It didn’t take long to realize that the band isn’t lying in its tagline.

The first song I heard from this band is “Truckstop Waitress.” This song proves that some bands just know how to write a love song. This Kansas City rockabilly band not only knows how to get listeners swinging to its rockabilly sound, but just dig these lyrics. “I love a truckstop waitress whose daddy owns a liquor store.” Really, do you need a better example of how great a love song this is? Oh, and the truckstop waitress in question is a redhead (surprise, surprise).

If you want a real good example of the kick in this band’s music, just listen to “Trucker Krank.” Now, this isn’t the first time anyone has written a song about a trucker who needs help staying awake on those long hauls, but it’s a pretty good one. The tempo of this song definitely gives the sense of a trucker sweating and gripping the wheel with his hammer down to the floor. I’d say this one leans more toward psychobilly than rockabilly, but no matter how you label it, this song will get some part of you moving.

Speaking of moving, if you’re looking for a tune you can swing dance to, check out “Juke Joint.” I think this song would fill the dance floor any time it’s played. Whether you’re a fan of rockabilly, psychobilly, or just good old-fashioned rock n roll, check out Rumblejetts.

 

‘Billy Monday: Hot Rod Walt and the Psycho-Devilles

Posted: March 4, 2013 in new music
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psycho_devillesAs we are wont to do here at Incognito HQ, we are doing something a little different with this post. What’s different is that this band only has one song available on its website. Still there are plenty of YouTube videos of this band that give a great idea of what Hot Rod Walt and the Psycho-Devilles are all about. The one song available on the website is “Psycho Cadillac.” This is a great example of a rockabilly tune. It has clean guitars and vocals over rhythms (with a doghouse bass, naturally) that are bound to get people swinging on a dance floor. Vocally, Walt reminds me a lot of Orange County artist Brian Jay, while his guitar parts remind me a lot of Rev. Horton Heat.

If songs about hot rods is one of the things that makes rockabilly, then the band takes another step in the right direction with “Hot Rod Man.” This is basically everything (including an upbeat tempo) you want from a song about a hot rod.

Sure, this band only has one song available on its website, but the more you listen, the more you realize that this band knows its stuff. These guys play rockabilly that is made to get people swinging on a dance floor and I’d say they do that pretty impressively. If you’ve been looking for some good new rockabilly, look no further than Hot Rod Walt and the Psycho-Devilles.

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