VA • King-Federal Rockabillys

 

Review by Cub Koda
In the mid-1950s, perhaps spurred by the success of Elvis Presley and other country-oriented artists who were enjoying crossover success on the pop charts, Syd Nathan started issuing rockabilly recordings on his King and Federal labels. Although none of the artists compiled here ever achieved anything remotely resembling a hit for the label, these 14 tracks featuring the cream of the rockabilly sides from the King and Federal labels stand as a fine document to the burgeoning rockabilly sound.

The big ticket here are four classic tracks from the legendary Charlie Feathers ("One Hand Loose," "Bottle to the Baby," "Everybody's Lovin' My Baby," and "Nobody's Woman") and five from King label mate Mac Curtis, "Granddaddy's Rockin'," "Say So," "If I Had A Woman," "Little Miss Linda" and the previously unissued "Goosebumps." Although seldom remembered today, the Texas-born Curtis was the more successful of the two artists, recording sixteen sides for the label. Far and away, the strangest track aboard this collection is "Jungle Rock" by Hank Mizell. Strange simply because the record was a flop back in the '50s, only to become a freak hit in England in 1976, some 20 years after its release, bringing Mizell out of retirement to a hero's welcome abroad. Hillbilly boogie fans will love "Peg Pants" by Bill Beach and Joe Penny's "Bip a Little, Bop a Lot," both solid numbers with great soloing, especially the steel breaks on Beach's effort. Canada's answer to the Collins Kids, Bob and Lucille, come up with a great novelty rocker with "Eenie Meeny Miney Mo," complete with all the hiccuping and glottal shrieks that are emblematic of great classic rockabilly vocalizing. A borderline rocker (more rock & roll than real rockabilly if you're splitting hairs about such things) comes in the form of "Rockin' Up" by Ronnie Molleen. A wild rocker with a Little Richard-style vocal, this one definitely stands out against the guitar-driven tracks here, but is a fine addition regardless.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-king-federal-rockabillys-mw0000852919

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Reseña de Cub Koda
A mediados de la década de 1950, tal vez impulsado por el éxito de Elvis Presley y otros artistas orientados al country que estaban disfrutando de un éxito cruzado en las listas de pop, Syd Nathan comenzó a publicar grabaciones de rockabilly en sus sellos King y Federal. Aunque ninguno de los artistas recopilados aquí llegó a conseguir algo remotamente parecido a un éxito para el sello, estos 14 temas que presentan la flor y nata de las caras rockabilly de los sellos King y Federal constituyen un buen documento del floreciente sonido rockabilly.

Lo más destacado son cuatro temas clásicos del legendario Charlie Feathers ("One Hand Loose", "Bottle to the Baby", "Everybody's Lovin' My Baby" y "Nobody's Woman") y cinco de su compañero del sello King, Mac Curtis, "Granddaddy's Rockin'", "Say So", "If I Had A Woman", "Little Miss Linda" y la inédita "Goosebumps". Aunque rara vez se le recuerda hoy en día, el tejano Curtis fue el más exitoso de los dos artistas, grabando dieciséis caras para el sello. De lejos, el tema más extraño de esta colección es "Jungle Rock" de Hank Mizell. Extraño simplemente porque el disco fue un fracaso en los años 50, sólo para convertirse en un éxito en Inglaterra en 1976, unos 20 años después de su lanzamiento, sacando a Mizell de su retiro y dándole una bienvenida de héroe en el extranjero. A los fans del boogie Hillbilly les encantará "Peg Pants" de Bill Beach y "Bip a Little, Bop a Lot" de Joe Penny, ambas canciones sólidas con grandes solos, especialmente los breaks de acero en el esfuerzo de Beach. La respuesta canadiense a los Collins Kids, Bob y Lucille, presentan una gran novedad rockera con "Eenie Meeny Miney Mo", con todo el hipo y los gritos glotales que son emblemáticos de la gran vocalización del rockabilly clásico. Una canción rockera al límite (más rock & roll que rockabilly de verdad, si es que hay que hacer distinciones) es "Rockin' Up", de Ronnie Molleen. Un rockero salvaje con una voz al estilo de Little Richard, que sin duda destaca entre los temas de guitarra, pero que es una buena adición.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-king-federal-rockabillys-mw0000852919

 

Tracklist
1 - Mac Curtis - Grandaddy's Rocking -
2 - Charlie Feathers - One Hand Loose -
3 - Joe Penny - Bip A Little, Bop A Lot -
4 - Ronnie Molleen - Rockin' Up -
5 - Mac Curtis - Little Miss Linda -
6 - Charlie Feathers - Bottle To The Baby -
7 - Mac Curtis - Goose Bumps -
8 - Mac Curtis - If I Had A Woman -
9 - Charlie Feathers - Everybody's Lovin' My Baby -
10 - Hank Mizell - Jungle Rock -
11 - Bill Beach - Peg Pants -
12 - Mac Curtis - Say So -
13 - Charlie Feathers - Nobodys Woman -
14 - Bob And Lucille - Eeny Meeny Miney Mo


Label: King Records ‎– CD-1041
Series: Vintage Vault Collectors Series –
Genre: Rock
Style: Rockabilly
https://www.discogs.com/Various-King-Federal-Rockabillys/release/11470241

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