Retro Music Review | Oldies, Reissues and New Releases with a Retro Sound

DJ At’s Crazy Record Hop Presents: Foot Tappin’ & Dance At The Screamin’ Festival Vol. 1 (El Toro; ETCD 1017)

Organizers of rhythm and swing nights take note: here is the disc you need. This collection of rip roarin’ vintage dance tunes, issued by El Toro to honor the 10th Anniversary of Screamin’ Festival in Spain, is guaranteed to put a shimmy in your shake. There are rock tunes that swing, swing tunes that boogie, and boogie tunes that rock. In fact, there’s something for everyone who likes to move their tail… READ MORE

Jeff Potter - Great Big Beat (El Toro; ETCD 8010)

When Fats Domino sang “The big beat keeps you rockin’ in your seat,” he might as well have been talking about this CD. Jeff Potter’s Great Big Beat won’t just get you rockin’ in your seat — it’ll get you up on your feet and twistin’ in the street. Equal parts Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent, Potter is a tremblin’ boogie woogie dynamo. Bangin’ away at the piano, he hiccups out his raw, gut level rock and roll ditties… READ MORE

T-Bear & The Dukes of Rhythm - Let The Sweet Talk Flow (El Toro; El Toro R&B 205)

Dukes of Rhythm guitarist and vocalist “T-Bear” would be one of the finest young blues players in Chicago, if not for this simple fact: he’s not from Chicago. He’s from Sweden. His real name is Torbjörn Solberg, and he plays like a cross between B.B. King and Chuck Berry. His blues wail has a bit of an Elvis growl in it and his original songs are as badass as any of the classics… READ MORE

Buzzcocks - Auf Wiedersehen (Cherry Red Films DVD; CRDVD003N)

The Buzzcocks have always been more pop than punk, a melodic anomaly on the late 1970s and early ’80s punk rock scene. This live set from 1981 shows them at the height of their popularity and power, singing songs of love and hate, fear and loathing, romance and madness. Pete Shelley’s sweet and sour vocals are fabulous, ripping through each tune. Ditto for Steve Diggle, who attacks every one of his songs with a fury… READ MORE

Michael Nesmith - The Wichita Train Whistle Sings / Timerider (Edsel; EDSS 1007)
Michael Nesmith - Tropical Campfires (Edsel; EDSS 1008)
Michael Nesmith - Live At The Britt Festival (Edsel; EDSS 1009)
Michael Nesmith - From A Radio Engine To The Photon Wing / Infinite Rider On The Big Dogma (Edsel; EDSD 2005)

Michael Nesmith has always been much more than a Monkee. A genuinely unique talent, Nesmith is responsible for some of the most intriguing songs released under the Monkees brand. In 1967, at the height of Monkees mania, Nesmith took 10 of his intriguing songs and turned them into an even more intriguing instrumental piece, The Wichita Train Whistle Sings… READ MORE

Bobby Darin - Early Bobby Darin (El Toro; ETCD1018)

Bobby Darin fans have been waiting a long time for these recordings to debut on CD. Previously only available on a rare, out-of-print MCA cassette, Darin’s 1956 and 1957 Decca sides offer a fascinating glimpse into the development of the legendary performer’s unique style. El Toro’s decision to couple Darin’s 8 Decca sides with 9 early Atco tracks is a brilliant one. Taken together, the Decca and Atco work represent a revealing portrait of the artist as a young man… READ MORE

Jim Stafford - Jim Stafford (RPM; Retro 823)

Jim Stafford is a bona fide original. No one has ever looked at life or music in the same surreal way. Stafford’s self-titled 1974 debut LP was a masterpiece of novelty song writing, not to mention a welcome antidote to the easy listening acts crowding the airwaves at the time… READ MORE

Various Artists - Welcome To The Club - Early Female Rockabilly (El Toro, ETCD 1013)

Welcome To The Club is the ideal title for this collection, as these 33 tracks detail the way female performers stormed the gates of the rockabilly boy’s club in the 1950s. Claiming their rightful place alongside artists such as Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley, these women proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that testosterone levels had nothing to do with making great rock and roll… READ MORE

Janis Martin and Elvis Presley - Janis and Elvis (El Toro; ETCD 1015)

When RCA Victor dubbed their new teenage singing sensation, Janis Martin, “The Female Elvis,” they weren’t just whistlin’ Dixie. While the title was undoubtedly bestowed upon her as a promotional gimmick, Janis Martin had two very important traits in common with labelmate Elvis Presley. First, she was a remarkable talent. Second, she was a rockabilly pioneer… READ MORE

Buddy Holly - Not Fade Away - Buddy Holly 1957 The Complete Recordings (3 Discs; El Toro; ETCD 1016)

El Toro’s new 3-disc collection of Buddy Holly’s 1957 recordings is truly a wonder to behold. There are so many priceless goodies here, it’s hard to know where to start. Even before you get to the tracks, there’s the Buddy Holly Discography booklet. The detailed entries, listing recording dates, locations, and musician credits, will make any Holly completist drool… READ MORE