[net.records] rockabilly

mat@bunkerb.UUCP (Mat Frontera) (09/22/83)

Someone in netland requested info on the latest from Neil Young.
Here's hoping that this album hasn't already been critiqued.....

I'm one of the fortunate few who works parttime at a large college
radio station. I get to review literally hundreds of new releases
each month...98% of which are never heard on commercial FM.

I enjoy all sorts of energetic, well-conceived material...be it rock,
new wave, jazz or blues.

OK, on to the review... Neil Young's new album is entitled, "Neil and
The Shocking Pinks". It shows him dressed in 50's atire, with slicked
back hair, strumming an old Gibson ES345 on the front cover (ala Carl
Perkins).

The only thing really shocking about the record is the songs. Neil hadf
best stick to his mainstream rock playing, and leave rockabilly in peace.
On my last air show, I played some truly great rockabilly/American blues
bands (i.e. The Nighthawks, The Fabolous Thunderbirds, The Powder Blues,
very old NRBQ, Jimmy and The Mustangs, The Blasters....etc), and mixed
in some material from Neil's L.P. Needless to say, Neil's efforts were
embaressing when stacked next to the aforementioned "polished" rockabilly
bands. If this is the type of music he wants to pursue, he needs LOTS OF
work. 

Some say that rockabilly is the new music of the 80's (although only the
Straycats have so far made a dent into commercial fame).

Neil Young's new "effort" does little in the way of favorably introducing
it to the masses. I hope it (the record, not rockabilly in general), goes
unnoticed.

>>> by the way, thanks for the Rhino catalog. I found it most useful. Can
you find a similar catalog for Rolling Rock Records? They also originated
on the west coast. Thanks in advance.....

bunkerb!mat