Upon first hearing Mystery Trio’s current album, it left a rather blank impression, with a feeling of not knowing what to make of it. Second outing however, the fuss surrounding this three-piece unit was fully understood. ‘After The Rooster Crows’ is a fitting title for the boys from Brazil’s album. An apt description of the contents inside because there is a sprightly feel to their rockin’ tunes; highlighted by first song, ‘We’re Gonna Have A Good Time’, and born to do this job, Elvis Martinatto, who sounds eager to get the festivities started judging by the faint hiccups and flickering hollers in his vocal delivery. For those expecting a wild, non-stop adrenalin ride of rockabilly, then think again, as Mystery Trio provide much variation in their overall sound, and evidenced by the reflective stroll ‘Just Awaitin’, for example. A huge sip of coffee is taken in the, ‘pinch yourself in order to believe it’ moment that is ‘Black Coffee’, brought to life by impressive vocals once more. ‘After The Rooster Crows’ is certainly a sophisticated album in the (modern) rockabilly world, and one that should be filed under the heading ‘grower’, due to the levels of detail hidden between its layers. But it’s also the restrained manner in which Mystery Trio deliver their material, only giving way, every now and then, with a desire to truly go wild (i.e. ‘Brunette To Blonde’). In addition to this, much respect is given between the trio where the vocals are often pushed to the fore, yet Beto Glaser’s electric guitar has a habit of creeping under the tripwire of said vocals without impeding its impact in any way (i.e. ‘Pretending Is A Game’). There are few immediate numbers, with ‘Call Me’ being one such song that will continue playing in your mind long after it’s finished, such are its addictive qualities. A trio from Brazil who suggest they’re in it for the long haul judging by the strength and depth of latest album ‘After The Rooster Crows’, which should still be spinning this time next year, and quite possibly the year after that.

Fine moniker, even finer band. Hailing from the land of Oz, and joining forces for one track (‘Blue Knuckle Ride’) with fellow Aussie musician, Ezra Lee, Hanks Jalopy Demons see their ‘Music On The Up Beat’ released. Closer inspection reveals that this new album is, in fact, a reissue of their previously released Australian only version of the same name Down Under, with the album now receiving wider international distribution. Almost as old as time itself, this four-piece band have been treading the rockabilly circuit for some time, as well as performing in other bands such as Benny and the Fly-By-Niters and the Starliners. With this baggage comes a wealth of experience and evident from the off by recapturing a raw and authentic rockin’ sound. Take the jittery rhythm of ‘Damn Their Hides’, with its paranoid or truthful narrative depending on how one interprets it, but either way this song speaks volumes, “Damn their hides, They’re gonna take you for a ride, Damn their hides, They’re gonna feed you lies”, which could very well be speaking about the industry they find themselves in. It’s a terrific start. More greatness follows with, ‘You Bring Out The Wolf In Me’ that finds lead vocalist, Hank Ferguson, slipping into character and struggling to retain his affections for the other half in his life via some compelling vocals and hints of a definite darker side to this song. If you’re looking for a variety of emotions and topics, then you have come to the right place as ‘Music On The Up Beat’ is littered with them. ‘The Jackal’ and ‘No Shoes’ are two such examples that touch on the darker sides of life once again; both revealing somewhat desperate situations, greatly exemplified by the musicianship and intriguing lyrics. There is even humour afoot during ‘Beat Up ’40s Ford’, sandwiched between two other auto-themed songs (‘Peel Out Baby’ and ‘Blue Knuckle Ride’), that retains an affection for this beat-up truck, despite getting left behind by faster models on the motorway somewhere. It is such songs, as those mentioned, that suggests you could set a cereal box in front of Hanks Jalopy Demons and within a matter of minutes the ingredients from said box of cereal would likely be transformed into an engaging yarn. If further demonstration is required of the inherent skills at the centre of this band, then ‘The Loser’ is perhaps the pick of the crop. Awash in a drunken haze and lost in its own sorrows – part comical where you can visualise the central character almost falling from his barstool after propping up the bar for so long – it’s music that really describe its content to great effect. Not content with leaving it there, Hanks Jalopy Demons show fire in their bellies with the rousing ‘The Pressure’s On’  bringing this long player to a dramatic conclusion. ‘Music On The Up Beat’, most definitely!

Describing themselves as an ‘American instrumental rock ‘n’ roll combo recreating the savage guitar sounds that ruled the world in the 50s and 60s’ is, more or less, a perfect way to describe The Sabres recent, and eponymously titled album. Where this album differs is when it decides to stray from such a description by applying the brakes and taking a more relaxed approach, or picking from a wider number of musical reference points that make this album more than a straightforward surf guitar instrumental long player. With so much expression crammed into opening number ‘Pussy Footin’ despite only running for a brief time, this particular instrumental manages to spin and twirl its way throughout, in addition to sliding down the fretboard of frontman Casello’s guitar to great effect. After such a dramatic entrance, there is no let up as far as the detailed expression is concerned with ‘Stink Bomb’ sounding like an additional number to a film score, and ‘Hamhocks’ free flowing use of guitar and Hammond organ possessing a real 60s flavour. ‘Tsunami’ really lives up to its title with a combination of surf guitar and drums maintaining a hectic pace. It’s no surprise that a calmer tempo is applied to the following ‘Always Blue’, which is executed to perfection with, naturally, Casello’s guitar leading the way and supplemented with a light, shuffling percussive rhythm. There are moments to ‘Nutrocker’ that really captures the senses, only for the song to take a less desirable route via a nauseating section of 60s kitsch. ‘Ride The Savage’ gets back on track by way of some red-hot guitar, and then proceeded by ‘Chin Tiki Swing’ showcasing the band’s skilful musicianship to wonderful effect. If ‘Chin Tiki Swing’ is not enough for some to suggest a suitable conclusion due to its sheer brilliance, then a cover of Link Wray’s ‘Jack The Ripper’ is definitely a fitting finale to the talents of The Sabres.

Prolific when it comes to their song writing, The Wise Guyz are back with a fourth album release, ‘Hot Summer Nights’. Charting similar territory to their previous album releases, this latest instalment raises the temperature somewhat with a variety of rockabilly numbers, but also shuffles in a few other influences and ideas to keep The Wise Guyz’ creative pot bubbling. With sixteen tracks to transmit their often wild rockin’ sound, ‘2 AM Rock’ is the first offering and what a way to make an introduction! Full of conviction, these Ukrainian cats will be rockin’ until the sun rises because ‘2 AM Rock’ is everything its tile suggests as it’s wild, it’s fuelled with energy, and possesses a real sting in its vocal that will raise even the dead into a boppin’ frenzy! Next in line, ‘Crash’ lets the instruments take the driving seat by kicking up a dangerous and menacing rhythm, greatly emphasised by the additional saxophone that adds a real intensity to the song. ‘Miss Chris’ pays its respects to Gene Vincent and really shows The Wise Guyz at the top of their game where guitars are flexing much detail and remain light and surefooted, with howls of derision from the backing vocals every once in a while to accentuate this confidence. A notable difference with ‘Hot Summer Nights’  compared to say, the band’s debut album, ‘Don’t Touch My Greasy Hair’ is that the music assumes a greater role over the lyrics when considering the songs ‘Bop Disease’ and ‘Do It Bop’, for example, where the words are surface considerations. Elsewhere, ‘Rude Bad Boy’ introduces another facet to The Wise Guyz’ sound with rhythm and blues edging its way in and lead singer, Chris Bird, showing his range with expertly handled vocals. Sometimes less is more, however, as the high number of tracks would have benefitted from a little trimming because there is a tendency for one or two songs to get lost in the overall mix. With ‘Sad’ nearing the end of this fourth album, and providing another example of the band’s versatility with its ballad-esque approach reflecting on a love departed, The Wise Guyz provide enough wild excitement and drama to warrant a fifth long player when the time is right. For now, ‘Hot Summer Nights’ is more than enough company to keep those limbs boppin’ to the wee small hours.

Setting this out as something resembling a concept album due to drawing its inspiration from movie soundtracks and centring its themes of love and loss around this very idea, Ricky Fabian is an artist willing to push his creativity to the outer edges of the rockin’ scene that he finds himself situated in. There is a sense of early 60s musical styling present, but with enough flashes of the raw and rugged edges of the previous decade to Fabian’s second outing, ‘Hits From The Movies’. In order to experience the latter example described, then head straight for the rockin’ energy of ‘Big Ole Bag’ that really gets under the skin via its at once trembling instrumentation that suddenly explodes during its chorus with Fabian’s vocal equally raw. This fever is contagious as it spreads to ‘Skinny Jeannie’, who just happens to be the centre of attention and someone’s affections, greatly illustrated by its slinking rhythm and bouts of heated passion. The impact of ‘Cindy Cindy’ is immediate with its rhythm sweeping the listener off its feet, but it also reveals a high level of detail in terms of the instrumentation; especially use of piano and for holding a real twang in the guitar that showcases one example of the deeper consideration of the song writing process here. With two duets included and featuring Ruby Ann (‘Hideaway Blues’) and Cherry Casino (‘Sunset Girl’), plus the addition of a wonderful ballad, ‘A Thing Of The Past’, ‘Hits From The Movies’ definitely has something for all those who enjoy the raucous elements of the latter half of the 50s, in addition to the musical developments that started to form after this particular period during the early 60s.

Taking the listener on an orbit around planet bop is The Satellites with their ‘The Space Sessions’ long player. Steeped in an authentic rockabilly sound with added blues, The Satellites offer eleven songs to keep those entertained who are willing to accompany them on this 50s-styled galactic mission rocketing back in time. First stop is the foot-tapping rhythm of appropriately titled ‘Satellite Bop’,  which then sees the band take a slight detour with a cover of The Dreamers melding of doo-wop and rockabilly ‘Ding Dong (Du-Wadi-Wadi)’. The choice of cover songs remains impeccable throughout and offers a voyage of discovery for those looking to delve further in relation to the history books, with The Satellites applying a highly engaging version of ‘Farmer John’ and followed by a bit of the blues with a slightly pepped up take of Joe Hill Louis’ ‘Keep Your Arms Around Me’. Despite this album being heavily reliant on covers, ‘The Space Sessions’ never dips in terms of its overall appeal because the band has clearly done its homework by selecting a few obscurities that are no doubt hugely popular with The Satellites, but also difficult to find in relation to their original 45 status. For those looking to be transported back to a 50s era, then The Satellites ‘The Space Sessions’ is a journey worth taking.