​Unfortunately, Ronnie Hawkins showed up a little late on the rockabilly scene. After all, when he got a recording contract in 1959, the heyday of pure rockabilly was already more or less in the past. The moment it came to Hawkins's turn, the charts were stormed by good-looking teen idols. As a result, his star did not rise like that of Elvis or Jerry Lee Lewis. Nevertheless, Ronnie was bursting with talent. Twice he managed to score for the Roulette label. A first time with Chuck Berry's 'Forty Days' and a second time with Young Jessie's 'Mary Lou'.
Hawkins started his musical career in the mid-1950s in Arkansas. But a few years later, it was Canada where he achieved his greatest success. In addition, The Hawks contain the seeds for the later The Band.
It is therefore commendable that Bear Family Records honors singer and pianist Ronnie Hawkins, the last true rock 'n' roller, with this limited edition.
The 10'' inch vinyl contains 12 songs, including Ronnie's hits 'Forty Days' and 'Mary Lou', supplemented with original work and beautiful covers of, among others, 'My Gal Is Red Hot', 'Honey Don't' and 'Bo Diddley '. Not only did Ronnie have the 'real voice' for rockabilly, but the incendiary guitar parts and Levon Helm’s tight drumming could have made Hawkins as great as the legends had he been given the chance sooner. Ronnie died on May 29, 2022.
Together with the 10” vinyl, this release contains a bonus CD with no less than 32 songs. These include the tracks from the 10' vinyl as well as cover versions of these songs. Plus, you get a formidable 11-page colorful booklet with liner notes by Bill Dahl. The beautiful, often never seen photos were provided by Canadian music historian and DJ Dave Booth. And if all this is not enough, a postcard with the photo of the cover is attached.
‘Red Hot Rockin'’ by Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks is an unmissable release. Highly recommended!

​After their 'Still On The Run' from two years ago, the trio The Hoodoo Tones from Northern France comes to claim our attention again with 'Three Steps To Evil'. Although, really begging for our attention, the gentlemen shouldn't, because with opener 'Drag!', an original song by the way, they immediately hit the spot. The song starts with a few sweet-voiced notes, but when the guitar and rhythm section come together, you are immediately drawn into this both surfin' and spacy sounding instrumental. A more than successful opener! The tone is immediately set for top-level quality and the trio manages to maintain that effortlessly during the other 9 original songs.
The fact that The Hoodoo Tones during the years developed their own sound has now become a reality. Contemporary bands in this genre that qualify for this and deliver albums that are rock solid from start to finish, can be counted on one hand. The Hoodoo Tones are definitely part of this. 'Three Steps To Evil' is pure class!

Julien Tassin is a renowned Belgian guitarist who focuses on improvised and expressive original music. He has established himself as one of the most creative and dedicated guitarists in Europe who appreciates the expressive power and potential of music. This long player is a gouache of rich color tones with a universal character. A musical universe couldn't be bigger.

On the beautiful and subtle rhythmic frame created by Nicolas Thys (double bass) and Antoine Pierre (drums), Veronika Harcsa and Bálint Gyémánt weave irrepressible, colorful and refined melodic lines. 'Plain Gold Ring' sounds almost intimate, contrasting with the electrified 'Where Do I Go'. The music is apparently never difficult, but always unexpected and above all surprising. The voice and guitar meander through original musical paths.

Founded in the English West Midlands sometime in 1979, the band is now promoting their fifteenth album. The long player is released on the Dutch label Gentlemen Recordings. So now there is 'The Bone Carver'. The brothers Simon Huw Jones and Justin Jones find their soul mates in drummer Paul Hill, bassist Grant Gordon and Colin Ozanne on clarinet. The band And Also The Trees has belonged for many years to the top of the English underground and cult music. Highly recommended! 

For centuries, stimulants have provided relaxing moments. However, stimulants that can also derail in 'Devils & Demons' if used excessively. In these cases, we initially think of alcohol and narcotics. But love is not so innocent either, as this compilation shows. With all this in mind, Mark Armstrong collected 28 tracks, recorded between 1949 and 1963, that have devils and demons as their subject. The album contains a number of lesser known and obscure songs, so that there is a lot to discover again.
'Hillbilly Devils & Demons' features top-level hillbilly and country folk, some of which can also be of service during Halloween. It's also nice that this album, like all the other Atomicat compilations, introduces you to songs that you didn't know they existed.

​Lara is from the South and her roots are in Appalachian music, not far from classical gospel music. The long-player 'Ol' Kentucky Light' could not have had a better birthplace than her current home in New York City. So NYC is her creative home. Her sound now varies between that blues and gospel, with a touch of jazz and even some country. Very diverse.

​South Island Rhythm Kings are a 5-piece Blues band from Vancouver Island. the blues sound here extends beyond places like Chicago and Memphis, in this case Vancouver, British Columbia. Great! 

​One of the most enchanting albums of the year with a broad range of duets. Recommended!

​It has become an annual tradition that albums are released for Halloween. The label Aomicat has released Halloween-related albums in the past with 'Black Halloween', 'Satan's Holiday' and 'The Mojo Man's Halloween Party'. Last year the label also launched 'Hallowscream!, The Night Of Witches, Spooks, Ghouls, Murder and Mayhem!' on the market. This album now gets a sequel with 'Hallowscream!, Vol. 2, Horrors of the Black Museum'. Composer Mark 'Doctor Frankenbop' Armstrong bundled 28 songs from the period 1954 – 1963, which, in a modified setting, guarantee hair-raising moments. The beautiful illustrations are again by Henrique 'Psychoshake' Sam.
Once again your neck hairs are standing on end and the shivers run all over your body to the tones of formidable rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll.
Play 'Hallowscream!2' loudly through your speakers and your Halloween can't go wrong……….unless the neighbors accuse you of noise nuisance.