Nisse Hellberg - En Modern Man (2009)

New record from the frontman of Wilmer X. Hellberg is keeping to the more bluesy style of his previous solo records. Typical tracks from this artist but unfortunately, I find this too much laidback. There are a couple of good tracks including "Den står där du ställt den" but in some places, it only sounds lack a poor version of the Buckaroos' rockabilly. The record has received good opinions all over the place and it seems that I'm the only one who lacks Wilmer X with their more aggressive and "pushy" guitar driven style. Since I'm always have extremely high expectations on Hellberg I'm disappointed on this record. What a pity!

Rating 6/10

Available from: http://www.ginza.se/Product/Product.aspx?Identifier=242662

On Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/1UJTdMwHTW7NVf8niV22Mg

Louie And The Lovers - The Complete Recordings (2009)

Louie and the Lovers complete recordings one CD including the Doug Sahm produced record "Rise" from 1970. It sounds like a typical record from the groups around Sahm and I have difficulties to understand the cult status around this group. However, the record is quite good and if you're interested in Doug Sahm and the groups around him you should have a look at this.

Rating 6/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Recordings-Louie-Lovers/dp/B002BZQHFO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1257694735&sr=1-1

Unfortunately not on Spotify.

Black Moses - Royal Stink (2004)

An earlier project by the fabulous Jim Jones of "Jim Jones Revue", which I found surfing around for more info on him. This group is more bluesy and not the punky rockabilly of "The ...Revue" even if there is a couple of good rockers on the CD. Good record that however suffers from me hearing the latter works of him earlier (but most records this years suffers from this...).

Rating 7/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Royal-Stink-Black-Moses/dp/B00069MPUS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1256674946&sr=1-3

Unfortunately not on Spotify.

The Jim Jones Revue - Here To Save Your Soul: Singles Volume One (2009)

"The Jim Jones Revue's" singles collected on a CD. Still the same fiery rock'n'roll and there is no need to save my soul since I'm very sold on this and really loves it. The CD is actually something between an ordinary CD and a single since it only contains 8 tracks of which 3 features on the first record. The five additional tracks is no fillers and adds a lot to the sound of the band. Two of them are covers; Elvis' "Big Hunk o' Love" and Little Richards' "Good Golly Miss Molly". These two tracks very well covers the roots of the band and when hearing "Good Golly Miss Molly" you'll hear how close the voice of Jim Jones is to Richards. Highly recommended and I'm writing this listening to the record with a big smile on my face!

Rating 9/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Here-Save-Your-Jones-Revue/dp/B002NPY664/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1256673107&sr=1-1

Unfortunately not on Spotify.

Reigning Sound - Love and Curses (2009)

Five years after last studio record, Reigning Sound is back on good form with a new record. Same style of garage/punk/blues/soul as previous records even if it includes some song with lower tempo. Singer and songwriter Greg Cartwright has an excellent voice, which is used to the maximum on this record. Recommended!

Rating 7/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Curses-Reigning-Sound/dp/B002D6EXSO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1255978015&sr=1-1

Unfortunately not on Spotify.

Mary Weiss - Dangerous Game (2007)

I found this record while looking around why a favorite group "Reigning Sound" hadn't made any records for while. I found out that they had backed "Shagri-Las'" singer Mary Weiss on a solo album. This sounded very good - the heavy garage/punk sound of the Reigning Sound and a 60's favorite! And the record really delivers! An excellent voice and good songs, this especially in "Don't come back" which mixes the Shangri-Las perfectly with the Reigning Sound. Excellent - second best record this year!

Rating 8/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Game-Mary-Weiss/dp/B000N3SSQC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1255976947&sr=1-1

On Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/5VjnsUX9JQwHLSSdItPTGd

Richard Hawley - Truelove's Gutter (2009)

Richard Hawley is continuing on the same track. Same moody soundtrack to some obscure and strange movie. However I'm slightly disappointed, last record ("Lady's Bridge") was not as good as the masterpiece "Coles Corner" and this one is not as good as "Lady's Bridge", i.e. a down bound spiral...

Rating 5/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trueloves-Gutter-Richard-Hawley/dp/B002JAPF04/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1255894177&sr=1-1

On Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/0zVtspcd49i55XA3LY1SSX

Teenage Bottlerocket - They Came From The Shadows (2009)

Second record I've bought with this excellent group this year. Same energy and same nice pop-melodies, all in the Ramones' spirit! I like this very much! Highly recommended!

Rating 8/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Came-Shadows-Teenage-Bottler/dp/B002J0NXNU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1255886322&sr=1-1


On Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/21hHTrVvbzGDVynkfFvxtm

Sonya Kitchell - This Storm (2008)

Very young singer/songwriter Sonya Kitchell made this record when she was only 17. I think she's very similar in the voice to "Cat Power". The records is of easy and nice popmusic but not really my cup of tea.

Rating 5/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Storm-Sonya-Kitchell/dp/B001ATO9EI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1253734480&sr=1-1

Not available on Spotify

Jason And The Scorchers - EMI Years (2008)

Aaarrrghhh! Another Jason and the Scorchers record and to paraphrase the third track on this record "I can't help myself" since I already have all the tracks on various records. Still I have to buy it! Is this something I need to seek help for? This record covers the songs the group made for EMI in the middle of the 80's including the first EP "Fevor", the debut "Lost & Found" and "Still Standing". This is really one of my absolute favorite groups and if you never had heard this excellent group this record is an absolute must!

Rating 8/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/EMI-Years-Jason-Scorchers/dp/B001AGGUGG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1253733125&sr=1-1

On Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/52soQvBxJUsUAq9wcLt4J5

La Belle Epoque: EMI's French Girls 1965-1968 (2007)

Being very fond of girl-groups and female singers from the 60's, I like this record quite a lot. Since I don't speak French and unfortunately isn't very used to hear this language it a neck-breaking experience to listen to a whole record in French with this typical 60's French sound. My total ignorance in French singers and songs is confirmed by that the only name I recognize on the record is Sandie Shaw (who is very British). This record makes me want to study this subject more!

Rating 7/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belle-Epoque-French-Girls-1965-1968/dp/B000NOKF3U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1253562398&sr=1-1

Paul Kelly - Stolen Apples (2008)

A record from last year with Australian Paul Kelly. This "special edition" includes a 14 track live, which I actually think is the best. This is my second record with this artist (the other is "Under the Sun" with Paul Kelly & The Coloured Girls) and they are both good but not really my cup of tea and I can't find myself to select them when I'm choosing music to work to.

Rating 5/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stolen-Apples-Paul-Kelly/dp/B001D0N37I/ref=dp_return_2?ie=UTF8&n=229816&s=music

Ginger and the Scorchers - Live at Manchester Academy 3 (17-09-2007) (2007)

The third record I bought from http://wildheartsbootlegs.freehostia.com/wildheartsbootlegs.html . This record is a live one from Ginger's legendary tour with the Scorchers replacing Jason Ringenberg. For this is a magnificent opportunity to hear how it sounded when two of my absolute favorites was combined (unfortunately without Jason). Ok sound and not as good as Jason and Wildheart's version of "Jimmy Rodgers' Last Blue Yodel" on Ringenberg's "Best Tracks and Side Tracks 1979-2007" (but that's almost impossible). However, still very good (a show that starts with "Lost Highway" and ends with "White Lies" can't fail...). Highly recommended.

Rating 7/10

Available from: http://wildheartsbootlegs.freehostia.com/wildheartsbootlegs.html

Ginger + Paul Gilbert - Live at Mercury Records Meeting Room, Tokyo (16/10/00) (2000)

Another bootleg from http://wildheartsbootlegs.freehostia.com/wildheartsbootlegs.html , this time a acoustic session with Ginger and Paul Gilbert. A very nice record with good sound and a typical acoustic set by Ginger. Not so much talking between the songs this time, which makes it easier to listen straight through it. The record includes plenty of covers, which was the main reason for me to buy it. Besides writing excellent songs himself, Ginger always does good covers (think "Lost Highway" and "White Lies"). Songs covered includes Hanoi Rock's "Malibu Beach Nightmare" and excellent versions of Ramones' "Sheena is a punk rocker" and Queen's "Somebody to love". Highly recommended.

Rating 7/10

Available from: http://wildheartsbootlegs.freehostia.com/wildheartsbootlegs.html

Silver Ginger 5 - Live at The Electrical Ballroom (12-11-01) (2001)

After a recommendation by the great Ginger himself, I've bought a couple of bootlegs from http://wildheartsbootlegs.freehostia.com/wildheartsbootlegs.html . The first is a live with Silver Ginger 5. This is a sorely missed group, which included both Ginger and Conny Bloom (of Electric Boys and Hanoi Rocks). The group is one of the great hidden gems of rock music. Unfortunately, they only released one record, "Black Leather Mojo", but that one is a true masterpiece. Since the group doesn't exist anymore (or are at least resting) the only way getting "new" music from them are by buying bootlegs. The noise on the record isn't very good but acceptable for a bootleg and includes the best tracks from "Black Leather Mojo", Ginger's solo-records, the Wildhearts and Conny Blom's solo records. A nice addition to any Wildhearts collection!

Rating: 6/10

Available from: http://wildheartsbootlegs.freehostia.com/wildheartsbootlegs.html

The Wildhearts - Chutzpah! (2009)

I've been listening to Wildhearts latest record for a week now and even if it wasn't the masterpiece I'm always eagerly awaits from Ginger and co. I've found it very good. If you're a Wildhearts fan (or likes good music) this record is definitively a must with it's mix of good lyrics, pop-feeling and heavy guitars. Recommended

Rating 8/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002K2JUZM/ref=dm_sp_alb

Unfortunately not available on Spotify

"Kommissarie Roy" and "Noise" on Spotify

Spotify is getting better and better. During the summer, two of my favorite bands from my youth have become available. The first is "Noise" with an "S" and not to be mixed up with the more famous "Noice" from Stockholm. Perstorp based "Noise" with a very young Kristian Ask (later of "Kommissarie Roy" and "Legendary Lovers" fame) as lead-singer recorded their "Små Röda, Lätta Regndroppar" in 1981, shortly before their break up. An excellent record with the typical Klippan-sound.
Available at:
http://open.spotify.com/album/7iMvo98sqhwNvkEHOnoXpV

The second is "Kommissarie Roy" and their debut and only full-length record from 1981. Regarding this record, I can only agree with Mats Olsson (journalist at Expressen) that this is probably the best debut record made in Sweden ever! The record is the defining one on the Klippan-sound. This record is still on my top-ten of all times and the singer, song-writer and guitarist Thomas Holst is still one of my biggest musical heroes (sometimes in the future, I'll write about his excellent solo records). After the break-up of "Kommissarie Roy", Thomas Holst continued to "Wilmer X" and a couple of tunes from the planned second record of "Kommissarie Roy" ended up on a "Wilmer X" record and these two ("En Dröm Är En Dröm" and "Vem Är Den Flickan") are perhaps Wilmer X's best songs as well. I like "Vem är den flickan" so much that one of my best friends played it on the organ as a surprise to my wife when we got married a couple of years ago.
Available at:
http://open.spotify.com/album/4knxkkVkTqikwA0EodUH8i

Del-Lords - Based On A True Story (2009)

Del-Lords' third second record from 1988 available on CD with five extra tracks compared with the old vinyl. The third record found the group in good form. A little lover in tempo than the previous two but still includes gems like 'Judas Kiss', 'A Lovers' Prayer' and 'A Whole Lotta Nothin' Goin' On'. Includes the magnificent 'Livin' with her, livin' without her' in an early demo version. However, the weakest of the three recently reissued CD but still a 'must have'!

Rating 7/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Based-True-Story-Del-Lords/dp/B0021TVYFS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1250095710&sr=1-3

Unfortunately not available on Spotify

Del-Lords - Johnny Comes Home Marching (2009)

Del-Lords' excellent second record from 1986 available on CD with five extra tracks compared with the old vinyl. Another rock'n'roll highlight. Not quite as good as the first but includes classics as 'Heaven', 'Everlovin' and the personal favorite ' No Waitress No More'. A 'must have'!

Rating 7/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Johnny-Comes-Marching-Home-Lords/dp/B0021TVYF8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1250095247&sr=1-2

Unfortunately not available on Spotify

Del-Lords - Frontier Days (2009)

Del-Lords' excellent first record from 1984 is finally available on CD with five extra tracks compared with the old vinyl. Led by former 'Dictators' Scott Kempner the record starts with version of Alfred Reed's 'How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live', which should make Bruce Springsteen blush after his blame attempt on the 'Seeger Sessions', before throwing itself into 'Get Tough' and 'Livin' On Love'. You don't get much better start on a record than this! The extra tracks are actually very good (which they usually isn't on this kind of records) and includes 'Wastin' Time Talkin'' (very good) and a rough version of 'Love On Fire'.
Highly recommended!

Rating 8/10

Available from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Frontier-Days-Del-Lords/dp/B0021TVYEO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1250094075&sr=1-1

Unfortunately not available on Spotify