​The releases in this series jumped from volume 38 to volume 40. The label sure have had an acceptable reason for this. Fortunately, the missing volume 39 has now appeared, so that the space between editions 38 and 40 has been nicely filled again. Volume 39 focuses on a major label, namely United Artist Records. The label was created in the mid-1950s because the Hollywood film studios United Artists wanted a record label to release the soundtracks of their films. Since 1957, the label has also recorded rock and roll and rockabilly. For many artists in these genres, United Artists Records was a springboard to other labels. Often they only made one or two singles and then moved to other companies.  Al Casey, George Jones and Delbert McClinton were a few who began their musical careers with the Hollywood record label.
This release links these well-known names to lesser-known artists, who are certainly equal. In addition to rock 'n' roll and rockabilly, some songs also contain a good dose of rhythm & blues, which makes the whole thing even more attractive. Volume 39 again contains a nice mix of vocal and instrumental songs. The fact that we're dealing with a major label here is also reflected in the clever arrangements and the attention and care that went into the recordings.

​Can you convincingly bring rock 'n' roll and rockabilly in the French language? Is it possible to stylishly fill the void left by Johnny Hallyday's passing? You may doubt this, but I don't. After listening to 'Rock Rebel' I don't doubt it at all. Céré, or in full Didier Céré, the old rocker from the south of France, blows everyone's socks off with this album and leaves many young musicians far behind, without mercy. Among the list of guest musicians, several well-known names immediately catch the eye. For example, we hear Buddy Whittington on guitar on 5 songs, Nico Wayne Toussaint puts the harmonica to his lips on 4 tracks, Redd Volkaert is guitarist on no less than 7 songs, Floyd Domino crawls behind the piano on 1 track and Red Young is also on 1 song behind the Hammond B. Add to that a horn section and you know that you will be presented with high-quality work here. Céré himself takes care of the vocals and he also plays the acoustic guitar. He starts with the title track, in the language of Molière, in which he immediately pushes the rock-'n-roll accelerator down considerably, including an inspiring sax solo. Successor 'VTwin Boogie' is bursting with originality. A wonderful rockabilly song, given a country touch by the pedal steel, and a blues feel by the harmonica of Nico Wayne Toussaint. For the first time, Céré exchanges the French language for the English language in the rock 'n' roll boogie 'Reeferbilly Boogie'. ‘You Keep On Knocking But You Can't Come In’ is a Little Richard classic. However, it pales in comparison to Céré's version 'Tu Peux Frapper'. What a number! Excellent vocals, heavenly soloing horns and sublime guitar work. One hell of an instrumental boogie is 'Lalla's Boogie', a song written by Cére in collaboration with Whittington, Volkaert, Domino and trumpeter Pascal Drapeau. The song is characterized by a balanced collaboration between piano, horns and guitar. For 'Salut Charly' he goes back to Hallyday and Céré releases the accelerator and measures the song in a country jacket. Céré knows his classics. He knows how to integrate that into his own songs. The 'Daytona Beach', written together with guitarist Jean-Pierre Medou, including harmonica and slide work that appeals to the imagination, floats on the well-known Diddley beat.
Johnny Hallyday has already proven that rocking in French is possible. It is true that there is still room for more, Céré shows how to do this perfectly on 'Rock Rebel', with a nice mix of own songs and covers. Recommended!

​With rockabilly and rock 'n' roll from the archives of M-G-M Records and sub-labels Club and Metro, we are already at volume 40 in the 'That'll Flat…Git it!' series. M-G-M Records was founded in 1946 by the production company Metro Goldwyn Mayer for the purpose of releasing soundtracks. The label soon took a broader view, dating a wide variety of music genres to the catalog. In the mid-1950s, when rock 'n' roll and rockabilly exploded, it was logical that M-G-M set its sights on that too. It is therefore also logical that a large number of artists could grow into international celebrities. This volume focuses on these names. Well-known artists such as Conway Twitty, Johnny Rivers, Buck Griffin, Marvin Rainwater and Andy Starr are paired with lesser known, but no lesser talents such as Gary Walker, Randy Atcher, Kenny Lee Martin, Rita Faye, Bob Riley and Ronnie Isle. The result are 32 tracks most from the fifties and a few from the early sixties that relive the heyday of rockabilly and rock 'n' roll in detail. Expect danceable, excellent guitars, whether or not supplemented with beautiful harmony vocals, provided rocking tracks, in a great sound.
Just to mention that there are no overlaps with volume 7 in this series, which also featured rockabilly and rock 'n' roll from the M-G-M treasury. And as befits the series, you will again receive a 36-page booklet, in which Bill Dahl provides you with all the info about artists and tracks. More than worth buying!

​When you're talking about recordings that formed the basis of blues, rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly, it is difficult to ignore the Sun studios. Sun founder Sam Phillips (05.01.1923 – 30.07.2003) was a man with a vision for his time, who knew which direction he wanted to take with the Sun label. Always looking for a new sound, he was not only the discoverer of Elvis, but also a number of other artists would later make a name for themselves. On January 3, 1950, he opened his Memphis Recording Service at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis Tennessee. The Sun Record Company saw the light in February 1952, now 70 years ago. So for Atomicat and KokoMojo the ideal moment to release two volumes of '70 Years Of The Sun Sound'. A second volume throws the spotlight on the R&B Performers, but that's for later. First we focus on the first volume, which puts the Rockers in the spotlight. Mark Armstrong selected 30 tracks, which were released at 45 or 78 rpm or as an album track. You get these recordings in a chronological order from 1954 to 1963, so that you can follow the evolution of the sound and style that Sam had in mind.
And when we go over the track list, we notice that Sam had a nose for talent. Names such as Hardrock Gunter, Charlie Feathers, Barbara Pittman, Hayden Thompson, Carl Mann, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jean Chapel, Carl Perkins and Charlie Rich seeded their musical career at Sun.
Also worth exploring is the collaboration between the Sun artists in terms of song delivery, as well as support as studio musicians.
There is this and much more to discover in this beautiful collection of Sun Rockers.
On July 1, 1969, Sam sold his Sun to Shelby Singleton for $1 million.
This album shows what a great legacy Sam Phillips left behind. If Sam hadn't been so visionary, the musical landscape would have looked a lot poorer then and even now.

​'Atomicat Rockers' is the latest series to be launched by the label Atomicat. Over 5 volumes we are treated to the rocking and rolling songs that accompanied the often wild life of the youngsters in the fifties.
The first part is titled 'Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie' and judging by the cover it was also heavy in the middle of the last century. Composer Mark Armstrong collected 28 songs for this collection that reflect the atmosphere of that time. Rock 'n' roll and rocking rhythm & blues recorded between the early 1950s and early 1960s.
With this new series, Atomicat has once again hit the bull's eye. Incidentally, the first part immerses you in a beautiful sound quality, in the songs that gave color to the lives of young people in the fifties. With 4 issues to go, we can already close with 'an unmissable series'.

​With volume 38 in the 'That'll Flat…Git it!' series we dive into the archives of the Liberty label and its sub-label Freedom.
The independent Liberty Records started in 1955 on the American West Coast and was originally specialized in film music. A year after its founding, legendary pianist and film music composer Henry Mancini signed on and stayed there until 1958. Although Liberty specialized in film music, the label later cataloged other genres, including rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. The 37 tracks on this compilation give a good idea of this. Eddie Cochran was certainly the most famous and successful artist at Liberty. In addition to Cochran, Johnny Burnette and Bobby Vee also signed to the label in 1960.
In short, in addition to well-known work, there is again a lot to discover on this compilation that can certainly be on the same level as the high flyers. And of course you get extensive info about the tracks through Bill Dahl's liner notes.

​With 'Fatty Patty', the subtitle of this volume, this miniseries also ends. A series that introduced us to lesser known and often obscure artists within rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. Songs in styles like jive, stroll and bop that not only score high quality, but can also get any party going effortlessly. This album also lives up to those expectations. During 28 tracks you will once again be amazed by the number of songs that, despite their quality, could not reach the general public when they were released. Songs that didn't make it at the time, but which can now happily be enjoyed with great sound quality. Beautiful series! Keep up the good work compiler Marcus Juárez!

​As we reported earlier, 'Stroll-A-Rama', just like its brothers 'Jive-A-Rama' and 'Bop-A-Rama', received a sequel with a second volume. The reviews of the last two have already appeared on this site. Now it is of course the turn of 'Stroll-A-Rama', another atmospheric album with danceable grooves that contain rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll, rockabilly and doo-wop. Thirty tracks, carefully composed by Mark Armstrong, with beautiful artwork from Henrique San, catapult you like a tsunami back to the fifties and early sixties.
Anyone who has volume 1 of 'Stroll-A-Rama' in their record collection knows that they want volume 2 next to it without hesitation.

​After the recently released album 'Little Bitty Girl', 'Teen Lover' is the next release in the 'Pan-American Rockin' Recordings' series. Again 26 tracks by non-obvious artists. It's a fact that guitars are an integral part of rock 'n' roll and rockabilly, and so is this compilation.
In the fifties and early sixties the emerging rock 'n' roll and rockabilly revolutionized the music that had been classified as 'entertainment' until then. It makes sense that unknown artists tried to follow in the footsteps of the stars and hoped to gain fame. That is why many songs sometimes resemble to the repertoire of those who had already made it. Are these songs inferior? Not at all, only they weren't lucky enough to get airplay and promotion.

​With the fourth volume, entitled 'Dangerous Redhead', we are immediately at the penultimate in the series. We can guess how dangerous she is, but if she goes crazy to the sound of rock 'n' roll guitars, you better be prepared. These 28 tracks are her preference for a 'Saturday night party'. Let's see if the songs, brought together by Marcus Juárez, can also get us in a party mood.
And……….we can't help but agree with the song choice of 'Dangerous Read'. Rock 'n' roll and rockabilly that give your stiff muscles the necessary workout. With 'Fatty Patty', the last volume, you can complete this series from September 17.

The second volume of the 'Jive-A-Rama', 'Stroll-A-Rama' and 'Bop-A-Rama' series is a fact. The review of 'Jive-A-Rama' vol. 2 you already got on this site, the second part of 'Stroll-A-Rama' will be released on September 17, but first there is the 'Bop-A-Rama part 2’, which will been available since September 3rd. 30 tracks, all categorized under rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, bluegrass and blues bop, can make the dance enthusiast go wild again.
Chicago, Hollywood, California, Arkansas, Texas, New York City, Kansas City, Minnesota, Los Angeles and Germany, the 30 tracks come from all over the world.
And as usual, Mark Armstrong was once again on duty as the compiler. For the beautiful cover he could again count on 'illustrator wizard' Henrique San.
‘Bop-A-Rama, Vol. 2' once again fully lives up to the KokoMojo statement 'killers and no fillers'.

​Whether the 'girl on the cover' is a 'Ping Pong Baby', we are not going to comment on that. As for the music on this volume 3, we can be clear about that. The 28 tracks do not 'ping pong' to different music genres. Without distinction they all fall under the heading 'rockabilly and rock 'n' roll'. Another thing we are sure of is that the emphasis is on the lesser known work. Unknown and until now probably also unloved. But that soon changes after listening. The songs shine through their 'straightforward' rebellious character, typical of the genres. So no brushed shots. ‘Pick up those guitars, put that bass up, get behind your drum kit and you, get that mic in your hand quickly, because we're going to record a single, got it?’ That, in a nutshell, is the philosophy behind most of these recordings. And that's not bad, because that's how songs are created that do the real rockabilly and rock 'n' roll all the credit.
Once again there is a lot to discover. Bet that after listening you will change the expression 'unknown and unloved' to 'unknown but now happily loved'?

​It had been a long time since another album from the 'Pan-American Rockin' Recordings' series was released. Until now, because 'Little Bitty Girl' joins the already extensive series. 26 rocking, rolling and rockabilly tracks provide about an hour of unlimited enjoyment. These songs didn't always reach us when they were released because they were mostly released on American local labels and in small numbers. They will therefore not immediately ring a bell, but they are certainly no less interesting.
'Little Bitty Girl' revives the heyday of rock 'n' roll and rockabilly for an hour. Let yourself be carried away by the razor-sharp guitars, energetic voices, swinging saxes and 'put on your dancing shoes'. Wonderful album!

'Be Empathic, She's A Flirt', that's the seventh rock 'n' roll commandment. If you thought she was honest, forget it, because before you know it, she'll be rambling the opposite through your brain. Dust enough for 30 great songs, as can be heard on this album.
A relationship sometimes has sharp edges, which are not always perfectly removable. That inspired artists to catchy rhythm & blues, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. Enjoying this album, we are already looking forward to 'Commandment Eight' which is entitled 'Do Not Commit Adultery, The Cheater'. That promises!

​Volume 2 in the 'Rock and Roll Floozy' series is titled 'Lazy Susan'. ‘What’s in a name?’ is a question that certainly pops up in some minds. ‘Lazy Susan’ may conjure up a certain image, but just as well all male eyes are on her as she enters the bar, shaking her blond locks. And that she will attract even more attention when the tracks of this album rumble through the speakers and she moves towards the dance floor, you can safely bet on that. The 28 songs come mainly from lesser-known and even completely unknown artists, but are invariably gems from the treasury of rock 'n' roll and rockabilly.
So there is a lot to discover and especially to enjoy. And luckily the end of this series is not yet in sight. After all, there are still 3 volumes in the pipeline. The next volume with 'Ping Pong Baby' will be released on August 20th.

​Long awaited and now it's finally here. The recent release in the 'Rocks' series focuses on none other than Sonny Burgess. For rockabilly fans, the man needs no further explanation. For readers who don't know him yet, we would like to give a small introduction. Albert Austin Burgess was born on May 28, 1929 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Like Roy Orbison, Elvis and so many others, Sonny also took his first studio steps at Sun. 'We Wanna Boogie' and 'Red Headed Woman' recorded there were just about the wildest rockabilly that Sam Phillips had in the house. Convince yourself of Sonny's phenomenal voice and guitar work and especially the energy that Sonny radiated.
Raw vocals, tons of energy, talent, craftsmanship, beautiful guitar parts and powerful rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. Qualities that Sonny undeniably had.
Plug this compilation into your playback device and take a decades-long journey with one of rockabilly's greatest, full of energy and power, Sonny Burgess. He passed away on August 18, 2017.

​Like many of his contemporaries who went on to become big names in rock 'n' roll and rockabilly, Ed Bruce began his artist career at Sam Phillips' legendary Sun studios. Yet much of the American public identifies him with the calm-radiating personality he was in T.V. shows and movies, in which he appeared in the eighties. However, rockabilly fans, also in Europe, are more aware of his musical legacy, which is certainly not to be underestimated, given his clever merging of genres such as rockabilly, country and country soul. In 1957, the then announced Edwin Bruce debuted with Sam Phillips with the now classic 'Rock Boppin' Baby'.
 A compilation that brings together all the recordings Ed made between 1957 and 1965. Recordings for Sun, Wand and obscure one-offs for TransSonic and Apt. All singles that certainly have eternal value. Just like the trucker song 'Eight Wheel Driver', 'Baby That's Good' and 'Doll Baby', three of the 10 songs he recorded for Sun, but which were not released at the time. It remains a mystery to me why Sam Phillips left these recordings on the shelf.
'See The Big Man Cry' is therefore a wonderful tribute to the singer, who could also live up to it as an actor, Ed Bruce.

​The sun may not shine every day, which for many is a sign that summer is already half drowned and yet, despite the sometimes less good weather, there is still plenty to enjoy. For example, you can put the first volume of the compilation 'Summertime Scorchers' into your cd player, after which the sun even shines indoors. The 30 recordings, selected by compiler Mark Armstrong, all date from the period 1955 – 1963. A summery, danceable album that is made even more beautiful by the clever illustrations by Henrique San.
Do sun, sea, beach and the associated parties pass you by for one reason or another…..don't worry, with this collector sun, sea, beach and party come to you without any problems and it will be for you too' SUMMERTIME'.

‘Jambalaya (On The Bayou)’ is not only the title of volume 3 in ‘The Hank Williams Songbook’ series, but it is also Hank's most famous song, although many will not know it in the original version. Presumably, most will the question “Who is the singer of 'Jambalaya'?” answer with ‘Fats Domino’. He turned it into a rhythm & blues rocker that is also included on this album. But the number of times the song was covered is incalculable. The covers also cover the most diverse music genres. In country, folk, blues, pop or instrumental music, you will find one or more versions of the song. As the title of the album implies, this compilation contains a number of songs that are not from Williams’ hand, but that do have a connection with Hank Williams in one way or another.
The album contains 30 sublime tracks and even from Hanks 'My Buckets Got A Hole In It', you get two versions. A first time as track 11 by Huelyn Duvall and Wildfire Willie and a second time as track 15 by Ricky Nelson, although the track listing for the 15th track mentions 'I'm Satisfied With You' by Jack Scott. After contacting compiler Mark Armstrong he acknowledged the problem and at the same time felt that the readers must know this. Thanks Mark for your honesty!
30 beautiful tracks fill volume 3 of 'The Hank Williams Songbook'. As always, you can enjoy this in a superior sound quality.

Our female readers should not worry about 'Good For Nothing Woman', the title of the first in the new series 'Rock and Roll Floozy' started by Atomicat. With 'Good For Nothing Woman' compiler Marcus Juárez describes a certain Nancy Jane. The complete story can be found on the inside of the digipack. But let's make it clear that the album also bears the title of the song of the same name by Doug Harden and The Dessert Suns, which can also be found on this compilation and lyrically already clarifies a few things.
The ‘Rock and Roll Floozy’ series emphasizes jivin’, strollin’ and boppin’ songs within rockabilly and rock and roll. On this first volume you already get 28 tracks that meet these characteristics. This series also links recordings of well-known names to lesser gods, but always with one requirement, namely ‘all hits, no fillers’.
It is starting to become a constant in the series released by Atomicat, because the 'Rock and Roll Floozy' series once again promises a lot of beautiful, often unjustly unknown rocking recordings from the middle of the last century. In any case, 'Good For Nothing Woman' makes us look forward to the volumes still in the pipeline. Absolutely recommended!

I wonder if there are any rockabilly bands that don't have a song by the Burnettes in their repertoire. This is proof of Johnny and Dorsey's importance in the development of rockabilly. Better yet, they really were at the forefront of the genre. Moreover, their sound was also recognizable. How often did it happen that when you heard a song, you suspected the magical hands of Johnny and Dorsey. The fact that countless artists originally recorded songs written by the duo says enough about their quality and importance. That is one of the reasons why it is fantastic that the Atomicat label has released this album. By the way, it is not only a nice tribute to the Burnette brothers, but it mainly points to their songwriting talent. 30 tracks convince you, including 4 on which the Burnettes can be heard under their own name, including ‘Me And The Bear’ where Johnny is joined by Eddie Cochran on guitar and Joe Maphis on guitar and banjo.
It is also admirable that the brothers could write songs for others, as if they could put themselves in the person of the performer. The fact that these songs have lost nothing of their strength more than half a century later, proves that ‘The Johnny and Dorsey Burnette Song Book’ can still be counted as groundbreaking in American music. Sublime album!

​Let's be clear for once ……. This series is not intended for softies! The rebellion associated with the genre, especially in the early days of rock and roll, is also in the 30 formidable instrumental tracks that fill volume 2 of the ‘Whip Masters Instrumentals’ series. Fire-breathing guitars, all searing saxophones that hit you relentlessly in the face and the vocal primal screams, certainly contribute to this. Features that can all be found on this album.
With the creation of the Whip Masters Instrumentals, composer Mark Armstrong has tapped an area that offers an abundance of fantastic rock and roll, rockabilly, surf and western swing. Just like the previously published volume 1, this edition is also worth having in your collection. Curious what will follow!

​The Canadian power trio goes back to their beginnings more than ever on their seventh album. After all 20 years ago, singer / guitarist Paul Pigat already proved not to extinguish the fire of roots music.
Buckle up those seat belts, start the engine and enjoy the hellish ride these hillbilly rockers take you on. Recommended!

​With ‘Racketeer's Wildest Winding!’ we enter the world of ‘Hoodlums, Rockers and Racketeers’ for one last time. This volume also contains rock and roll and rockabilly where sitting still is not an option. ‘Racketeer's Wildest Wingding!’ features 27 tracks from the heyday of rockabilly and rock 'n' roll by known, lesser known and sometimes obscure artists. However, they all had one thing in common, namely making honest music, which has no expiration date.

​With ‘Wild Man Rock’, volume 5 in the ‘Hillbilly And Rustic Rockabilly Bop’ series, we dive back into the rich past of these genres. The treasury of hillbilly and rockabilly still contains countless recordings, which not only give a beautiful picture of this music, but which also still pleasantly surprise us today. Mark Armstrong once again looked for 28 songs that are defined as authentic hillbilly or rockabilly. The boundary between these genres is often filter-thin and the influences of the country often make it more difficult to say exactly which song belongs to which genre. All this poses a problem for box thinkers. A problem that does not exist for music lovers with an ‘open mind’. Just like us, they will love these songs. Like the previous 4 releases in the 'Hillbilly and Rustic Rockabilly Bop' series, this volume again contains superior American roots music.