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

Los Fabulocos Featuring Kid Ramos (Delta Groove Music; DGPCD125)

America’s rich multi-cultural and multi-ethnic musical heritage is beautifully represented on the self-titled Delta Groove label debut from California’s Los Fabulocos. Featuring legendary guitarist Kid Ramos, of Mannish Boys and Fabulous Thunderbirds fame, this Cali-Mex quartet blends rockabilly, rhythm and blues, country, and traditional Spanish and Mexican influences, to paint an ever shifting portrait of vintage rock and roll… READ MORE

Hometown Gamblers - Dypsomania (El Toro; ETCD7031)

When it comes to gin-swillin’, tobacco-chewin’, honky-tonkin’ rock and roll, the Hometown Gamblers are a sure bet. Hailing from the backwoods of Belgium, this twangin’ quartet plays good old fashioned rockabilly and country, with a heapin’ helpin’ of down home hospitality… READ MORE

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

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