For anyone looking for that perfect fix of rockin’ sounds, then there is no finer place to find such a home as Atomicat’s latest album series ‘Wildest Wingding!’. Adding ‘Racketeer’s…’ to its latest title, the listener will get a taste of familiar and less familiar names presenting themselves during the twenty-seven long track list. Getting off to a good start is always the right idea as The Raiders most certainly do with a solid slice of rock ‘n’ roll. One feature that is noticeable from this series of albums so far is the attention given to songs that provide something a little different when it comes to rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll as the deep, and certainly different, vocals aired during rather excellent ‘Cherokee Dance’ by Bob Landers with Willie Joe And His Unitar. Moving on, the inclusion of artists with familiarity, but essential if you want to draw in the pundits are Clyde Stacy with ‘Hoy Hoy’, Johnny Powers With Stan Getz And Tom Cats and track ‘Long Blond Hair’, Lew Williams ‘Cat Talk’, and always essential for our money Sonny Burgess and not so obvious song choice, ‘Ain’t Got A Thing’. From such examples, the selection of artists and songs is like a fine box of chocolates with something that should appeal to those who yearn for nothing but rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll in their record collections, but more notably for this compilation being an Elvis/Johnny/Eddie free zone, despite all their greatness, but a breath of fresh air for entering a different route and including instead John Worthan (‘The Cats Were Jumpin’), Rocket Morgan (‘Tag Along’) and Ray Melton and super tough song ‘Boppin’ Guitar’. Quite simply, ‘Racketeer’s Wildest Wingding!’ is packed with cool guitars and strong attitudes and quality tunes. More of the same please Atomicat!

Time to get the hanky out and dry away the tears as ‘Hillbilly And Rustic Rockabilly Bop Volume 5: Wild Man Rock’ ends what has been a quite scintillating series. Covering the wilder edges of traditional country music when the early stages of rockabilly was beginning make itself known in the rhythms coming from the hills, Volume Five ends on a significant high by turning up the heat somewhat as far as those rockin’ rhythms go and artists featured. Early signs of such a description can be heard by Slim Rhodes double quick tempo of vocals and rhythm that fuels the addictive ‘Gonna Romp And Stomp’. Gene O’Quin, and track ‘Come Around To Me’, performs a similar feat, only the tempo is a tad slower yet nonetheless engaging due to providing an irresistible foot-tapping beat, and topped by incredible vocals. Other familiar names pop up such as Don Gibson (‘Ah-Ha’), Lefty Frizzell (‘If You’ve Got The Money, I’ve Got The Time’), Bob Gallion (‘I Want Her Blues’) and Johnny Cash with ‘Transfusion Blues’, the listener gets to experience the ‘Wild Man Rock’ of the album’s title. The bonus here, as with previous titles of this excellent series, is the inclusion of more obscure artists as the unusual name Endom Spires and primitive slice of rockabilly, written by Johnny Bond, ‘I Wonder Where You Are Tonight’. Similarly, names as Jack Morris and His Night Owls with a more fully rounded sound that is ‘White Line’, and then Hunter Watts and His Southern Pals’ wonderfully raw title track, are songs that will lead to further investigation. Crammed full of many rustic rockabilly delights as the masterclass in song presentation given by Ray Campi and ‘Dual Wheels No Brakes’, in addition to formerly mentioned Johnny Cash and dark tale of ‘Transfusion Blues’, then ‘Wild Man Rock’, the album, is a fitting end to a truly memorable series.

A more than appropriate album release in these troubled times comes ‘Think Me A Kiss – Rock ‘N’ Roll Songs Of Happiness’. Full of songs connected with joyful emotions, ‘Think Me A Kiss – Rock ‘N’ Roll Songs Of Happiness’ features thirty tracks from a variety of artists who plied their musical talents during the 50s and 60s. With DJ Mark Armstrong responsible for putting together the songs for this latest compilation album on Atomicat Records, there is much in the vein of traditional rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll numbers. With male and female artists showing their worth such as recording artists Ruth Brown, LaVern Baker and Clyde McPhatter all making an impact by popping up on numerous occasions throughout the setlist, in addition to providing the great cover shot for the album’s artwork. With these Atlantic Records’ recording artists featuring and being inductees of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, there’s plenty to get excited about from captivating vocal performances from the likes of  “Little” Frankie Brunson (Big Daddy) ‘How Can I Please You’ that starts the album, and continuing with more rock ‘n’ roll goodness from Sandford Clark and ‘Ooo Baby’, to Sleep La Beef with ‘You’re So Easy To Love’, in addition to Gary Dale with backing singers during ‘Pretty Baby’. There is much to enthuse over here, and the good feelings continue via the quite tender ‘My Heart’ performed by Vilas Craig and The Vi Counts, and later Dorian Burton and song ‘I Want You’ providing further evidence of the quality of these album releases with Atomicat’s usual inclusion of names less familiar from the golden era of rock ‘n’ roll. Ending appropriately on dreamy, harmonised vocals of ‘You Send Me’ from the voice of Cornell Gunter, ‘Think Me A Kiss – Rock ‘N’ Roll Songs Of Happiness’ is the perfect album to lift the current gloom and provide a large measure of happiness to all those willing to invest time in this excellent compilation.

As series go, ‘Boss Black Rockers’ is up there with the best of them when it comes to compiling rockin’ track lists. Reasons for this include the songs selected blazing a trail of wild rock ‘n’ roll that not only excites the senses, yet also educates considering the general lack of coverage regarding black artists during rock ‘n’ roll’s formative years. With the Mojo Man responsible for piecing together the many artists who have graced the albums making up this series, the final note in this chapter suggests for harmonious times with its subheading ‘Cool It’. The music on offer is often more of a fiery nature than the ‘Cool It’ of the album’s subtitle, but it is more in line with the music presented here to tame the listener’s senses where the only thing to occupy the mind are the rockin’ tracks on offer. Captivate, they most certainly do, as songs scorch and sizzle on hot coals of rock ‘n’ roll via Esquerita’s ‘Getting Plenty Lovin’, and Bobby Freeman with ‘Little Girl Don’t You Understand’. The inclusion of Johnny “Guitar” Watson and song ‘The Bear’, and Joe Tex with ‘Cut It Out’ adds further quality, but also helps to bridge the gap for those not in ownership of these tracks from Koko Mojo’s back catalogue of 45” vinyl releases. Consideration should be given to ‘I Wanna Know’ from Eddie Daniels, which is an excellent slice of rock ‘n’ roll with a hint of Gene Vincent about it (Or is it the other way around?), and also deserving of the 45” vinyl reissue treatment. There is a rockin’ instrumental with influences of jazz running through it, ‘Tim Tam’ by A. Tousan (Allen Toussaint), to odd titles as Ben Hughes’ ‘Sack’ that requires further investigation regarding the song’s meaning, to female rockers as LaVern Baker popping by with ‘Hey Memphis’. Once more, ‘Boss Black Rockers’ delivers with the compelling swansong ‘Cool It’ that is an album offering many enthralling moments, in addition to a few surprises, which end the album series on a mountainous high.

Following on from the successful first volume supplied by Grady Martin’s hot guitar, comes volume number two featuring another guitar maestro, Billy Strange, who welcomes you to ‘Climb Aboard The Hell Train’. A thirty track collection, ‘Climb Aboard The Hell Train’ features a variety of artists and numerous styles that showcases the talents of Billy Strange who, like the aforementioned Grady Martin, knew his way around a song and therefore seemingly born to rock ‘n’ roll as his skills as a guitarist and vocalist were in demand during the 50s supporting country acts on the radio and television, and later as a session musician during the 60s, in addition to lending his experience to Hollywood serving as musical director for two Elvis Presley films. With the first clutch of songs dedicated to the main musician of its album title ‘Climb Aboard The Hell Train’, Billy Strange gets to work during such numbers as western swing and country boppers of ‘(When The Dawn Comes) I Gotta Be Gittin’ Home’, ‘Let Me In There Baby’, and terrific vocal duet with Speedy West during ‘Barracuda’. Adding a cover of the previously mentioned Grady Martin’s ‘Diesel Smoke, Dangerous Curves’ shows a touch of class and respect to one of his peers with Billy Strange offering a compelling rendition with his guitar greatly expressing the details of the song alongside his vocals. The second half of this compilation allows for other artists such as Skeets McDonald (‘Scoot, Git And Be Gone’), Tommy Collins (‘Oklahoma Hills’), Wanda Jackson (‘You’re The One For Me’), instrumentalists The Ventures with ‘The 2,000 Pound Bee – Part 1’ and same title with ‘Part 2’, not forgetting Elvis Presley with The Mello Men (‘One Broken Heart For Sale’), and Dee Jay Mark Armstrong has compiled a detailed and wonderfully engaging collection of songs that touches upon the gifted talents of Billy Strange as guitarist, singer and composer during ‘Climb Aboard The Hell Train’.

A clear favourite at Famous Last Words (FLW) is the relatively new series ‘Hillbilly And Rustic Rockabilly Bop’ from Atomicat. Featuring another twenty-eight tracks is volume three in the series, with numerous artists who made their mark on a fledgling country music scene back in the day. With clues in the album title, these songs are about as authentic and rural as it gets, and genuine cause to celebrate traditional country music the way it should be performed given recent developments in the present era which have strayed too far from country music’s origins. Grumbles aside concerning the present state of country, compiler Mark Armstrong has done his homework, once more, in choosing a delightful selection of tracks from such musicians as Tibby Edwards, Glenn Barber, Lefty Frizzell and Johnny Cash. Other fine examples can be found during the opening ‘I’m Losing You’; a song that really gathers momentum from Lefty King and His Rangers with vocals by Jimmy Clee that suggests western music. Phil Brown with Bill Woods Band and the song ‘You’re A Luxury’ absorbs the senses further with a real dose of swinging hillbilly. Elsewhere, there is a lonesome feel to the words of ‘Somebody’s Been’ and sense of Charlie Gore strictly going solo considering the plain instrumentation. Despite this, Gore manages to turn the song into a genuine toe-tapper that is a tad more upbeat. The rockabilly found in the title of this album is definitely in its early stages throughout. This is much of the appeal as songs provide a fascinating listen with some familiarity and others completely new. In safe hands when it comes to ‘Hillbilly And Rustic Rockabilly Bop Volume 3: Rattlin’ Daddy’, and hardly surprising given the inclusion of names as Dude Martin and song ‘Pistol Boogie’ (Try keeping a straight face during its chorus) that lends a feeling of invincibility to the album’s entire contents.