“Don’t let love fool you!” Attached to this latest release of predominantly rhythm and blues artists from along-gone era is a message warning of the potential pitfalls that can be associated with that thing known as ‘love’. Without wishing to put any dampeners on any future romance, KoKo Mojo sets out its stall with another twenty-eight tracks that certainly rock and blow away any suggestions of the blues. In fact, what any listener is likely to experience for their listening pleasure via ‘Holy Smoke’ is a collection of tracks culled from history and selected for their addictive qualities when it comes to rhythm, but also their relevance to the subject matter at heart here. Therefore, expect songs that are filled with lovesick sentiments where infatuation can take hold – Baby Clifford King ‘Want To Jump With You’ or Tony Allan’s vocals capturing the mood to perfection during the album’s title track – or unrequited love via the forceful rhythm and blues of ‘Don’t You Want A Man Like Me’ from Jay Nelson. There’s a wonderful performance from Juke Boy Barner who delivers what sounds like a ramshackle performance during ‘Rock With Me Baby’, only for closer inspection to reveal that there’s deft hands at work here with far more going on under its bonnet. This, however, is only the beginning as from here on, the variety displayed ups its game further from Prince Royals’ superbly understated and centre of attention, ‘Anna Mae’, to the “great” Eddie Alexander & The Greats ‘I’m In Love’ (complete with accompanying ducks!), before rattling off a whole host of sophisticated rhythm and blues numbers such as ‘My Pretty Baby’ (Ernie Williams), ‘Ding Dong Babe’ (Jimmy McPhail), ‘I’ll Be True To You’ (Billy Fair & Orch.), and Little Johnny Cook with ‘Try Your Love’. There’s too much goodness to be found here, despite any notions of hearts being broken, because ‘Holy Smoke’ offers a passionate and classy taste of rhythm and blues that’s packing enough variety to keep any listener entertained for many hours. Top of its class!

A full pot of drinking songs straight from the juke joints of America’s past where blues and rhythm and blues provided the backing track to the joys and pleasures that alcohol could bring, but also its use as a means to combat the ‘blues’ felt when relationship heartbreak came calling. With twenty-eight songs varying between moods and styles and given by artists ranging from Lightnin Hopkins, Rufus Gore, Jimmy Liggins, Dave Bartholomew and Jimmy Rogers to name but a small selection, the quality is set to high when it comes to the collection that is ‘Cheap Old Wine And Whiskey’. Whether it’s a pared back guitar affair via Lightnin Hopkins ‘Drinkin’ Woman’ or a more up-tempo singalong with Johnny Davis and ‘I’m A Wine Drinker’ with its more than happy approach to drink your quota if you’re not feeling up to it, this long player has pretty much got the lot. Take for example the swinging rhythm and stunning vocal pipes of Al Jackson during ‘Let’s Drink Some Whiskey’, to the rendition of Stick McGhee classic (and rockabilly favourite) ‘Drinkin’ Wine’ superbly handled by Larry Dale, before taking further twists and turns via two wonderful ramshackle blues numbers ‘Sloppy Drunk’ (Jimmy Rodgers) and careering off the road ‘Drunk Drivers Comin’ (Richard Bros.). If you need further convincing that you’re in need of some fine company to help lift the spirits and ease the blues, then the punchy sax intro of ‘Wine Wine Wine’ and compelling vocals of Calvin Boze (‘Looped’) should have your limbs shaking in no time. With ‘Cheap Old Wine And Whiskey’ being a combination of the vinyl series ‘Too Much Booze’ and ‘Bad Hangover’, there really is no other option than to take up this addictive habit of blues and rhythm and blues as there are no hangovers to be had here!

Attempting to offer the “Funny Side of Rhythm and Blues” according to its front cover, the album ‘Fool Mule’ sets out its target with no less than twenty-eight tracks made up of various artists. What you can expect from the outset is several artists with very little known about their status apart from the fact that they happened to record a song or two. Once ‘Fool Mule’ opens its doors, the sense of originality running through a large portion of the tracks is a delight to behold. The opening duo of Eddy Jones & The Cyclones ‘Say What?’ and double headed delivery of ‘Psycho Serenade’ leaves a huge grinning exterior, which later extends to Satch Arnold and genuinely sounding like he’s ‘On The Run’, before blowing out (or should that be bowing out?) via Freddy Koenig’s version of ‘Road Runner’. There’s a real assortment of characters and musicians filling these sides and makes for a sheer delight whether bordering on comical, hence the album’s title, or sounding straighter but with song titles providing another impression altogether (i.e. Haskall Sadler and ‘Bald Headed Woman’ or Delmer Wilburn & The Mandals’ ‘My Kissin’ Cousin’). Far from any suggestion of being a compiled mess, ‘Fool Mule’ reveals itself to be packed to the rafters with engaging and often original songs that will leave you laughing one minute and then downright curious the next. A true treasure chest of musical compositions that deserves to be heard.

Released on Old Jank Records, ‘I Want Blood’ is the latest album from UK Americana/country outfit, Suburban Dirts. This new addition to Suburban Dirts creative output follows on from previous album, ‘A Tiny Little Island In The Big Bad Sea’, and arrives in rather epic fashion, due to containing fifteen tracks that relay some rather uncivilised and gruesome tales concerning “…pre-cowboy America, real frontier stuff”, which could easily provide the soundtrack to a film of similar ilk. It makes for compulsive listening and really starts with the gothic horror of ‘The Harpe Brothers Theme’; based on a real-life tale of brothers Micajah ‘Big’ Harpe and Wiley ‘Little’ Harpe who were American War Of Independence mercenaries, highwaymen, scoundrels and any other similar associated description one would like to add. Regarded as America’s first serial killers, the Harpe Brothers made their presence felt via various gruesome acts, which reveals its story at various intervals throughout this latest album by Suburban Dirts. From the clanking rhythm and narrative of the opening ‘The Harpe Brothers Theme’ sketching out the initial details of the aforementioned Harpe brothers, there are however, enough sweeter sounding moments to suggest this album is not entirely sheltered under a dark cloud. Far from it as there are enough examples of light filtering through the darker edges, which can be heard from the welcoming, and very authentic country sound of ‘Home’, with its use of violin, piano and steel strings, to the stirring beauty of instrumentation that details ‘Eli’, before arriving at the haunted memories of a relationship plaguing ‘To Dance With You Again’; the latter of which is a magnificent piece of work, and a song to be truly proud of. With some of the tracks playing out like interludes during a film, and therefore helping to knit the segments together, it is these moments that reveal some nice and memorable touches (‘As Long As You Are’), not to mention quirky additions (‘School Tomorrow’), as well as serving as a reminder that the storm clouds are never too far away (‘Ballad Of Little Harpe’). Clearly, much thought and attention to detail has gone into the preparation and making of this long player, which sets up ‘I Want Blood’ as Suburban Dirts’ most accomplished album to date, and one that is going to be difficult to surpass.

Something of a coup securing the signature of blues artist Little Victor who issues latest album ‘Deluxe Lo-Fi’. The title of this new release from Little Victor accurately sums up the overall feel of this long player with a definite ‘lo-fi’ approach to the song writing throughout, but not without a sense of lavishness thrown in as well, which can be identified from the lengthy list of well-known contributors ranging from Kim Wilson of The Fabulous Thunderbirds (Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt), Steve Lucky (Blues Persuaders, Johnny Copeland), Carl Sonny Leyland (Chuck Berry, James Cotton, Louisiana Red) to name but a few. With the album being dedicated to Little Victor’s hero and musical partner Iverson Minter (aka Louisana Red), there’s plenty of personal touches from the handwritten tracks listed on the back cover that, if perused closely, read like the ups and downs of any relationship to the homely recording/production of the actual songs with their vintage qualities giving off a scent of times passed by. It’s the lo-fi qualities that really appeal, and certainly set their hooks in early via the swamp blues doubleheader ‘My Mind’ and ‘Graveyard Boogie’. Equally impressive is the following ‘I Done Got Tired’ and ‘This Letter’, with both tracks sounding at the end of their tethers and emotionally broken with a raw primitive blues supplying the musical accompaniment. From such wonderful (yes wonderful!) trudging rhythms, Little Victor mixes things up by transforming the tempo via the lively yet still gritty ‘Slow Down Baby’ that features the aforementioned Steve Lucky and, later on, ‘What’s The Matter Now’ with Jo Buddy that is reminiscent of Little Richard. Considering ‘Deluxe Lo-Fi’ is Little Victor’s first album in eight years, and with the man himself claiming this to be his best album since ‘Back To The Black Bayou’, Little Victor has very reason to believe so as ‘Deluxe Lo-Fi’ is a creative and engaging body of work that sounds as if it was recorded in an abandoned basement, yet gives off a highly professional and top quality feel that never once suggests a “lost tapes and B-sides” compilation. Top marks indeed!

More dancefloor movers and another edition to the current series that features blues, rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll with this being ‘Cockroach Run’. Consisting of a hefty twenty-eight tracks, the time soon flies under a series of scintillating tracks. Where this particular volume differs, however, from previous editions are the less predictable themes on offer, which is something to be praised because there’s humour afoot here, not to mention much reflection on life’s hardships. Whether it’s something a little exotic you’re seeking, then look no further than ‘Rockin’ In The Jungle’ supplied by Wailin Bethea & The Captains, to the nudge and wink conversation of ‘Topless’, before arriving at the downright bonkers and highly appealing ‘Nightmares’. There’s not a dull moment to be had during ‘Cockroach Run’ with The Jolly Jax Trio reinforcing such a point with their energetic ‘Everything Is A-Okay’, and then Joe McCoy & His Real McCoys really driving this message home with a wry sense of humour that sees everything from flying saucers crashing into planes and his partner changing her name! It makes for compelling listening and really deserves to be heard from start to finish as ‘Cockroach Run’ is a thrilling and unpredictable ride of emotions and sounds that just about manages to stay encompassed in its rockin’ rhythm and blues shell.