[engl] Pennsylvania's top-ever migraine advert-themed surf instrumental FRENZY! FLIP: Terrifyingly spooky outer-space trek to FEAR surf wallop!

[engl] Bo`s unique artistic personality goes beyond his work as a singer, guitar player and performer: this collection showcases his skills as a first-rate composer, talent-scout, session musician and producer of R&B stars such as Little Walter, Billy Boy Arnold, Billy Stewart, The Schoolboys and The Marquees (featuring a youthful Marvin Gaye in their line-up). Nice edition w/ gatefold sleeve, remastered sound, artists pics and extensive liner notes by George R. White, author of Living Legend, Bo Diddley?s biography.

[engl] One the most iconic Pop & Doo Wop girl group, THE CHANTELS formed in The Bronx, NY in the 50's. ‘We Are The Chantels’ is their first album, released originally in 1958, it features gold disc hit ‘Maybe’ among other classic singles like ‘Every Night’, ‘I Love You So’... This is definitely a classic album and a must have for your record collection.

[engl] A vinyl-only 14-track collection of the Cincinnati trio’s best Fraternity recordings. A brief appearance on Billboard magazine’s Bubbling Under chart belies the fact that the Charmaines were Cincinnati’s leading 1960s girl group. Formed by Marian “Gigi” Jackson, Dee Watkins and Irene Vinegar, the group was awarded a contract with Fraternity Records for winning a talent show in 1960. Gigi’s sister Jerri sang on many of the group’s records but was too young to perform in nightclubs. When Dee left to get married, Jerri joined as a full-time member. By the time the Charmaines’ contract with Fraternity had run its course, the group had relocated to Canada. “We’d had a successful career at Fraternity and were quite happy there,” says Gigi. “We had a few little hits with ‘What Kind Of Girl (Do You Think I Am)’, ‘On The Wagon’ and ‘G.I. Joe’ and got lots of work, especially in Canada. We were going back and forth to Toronto so much, doing nightclubs and concerts, that in 1963 the Charmaines actually moved up there. When the British groups first became popular over here, we were living in Canada at that time. I remember the Dave Clark Five and the Rolling Stones coming up to Canada. They were at Maple Leaf Gardens, and at about four of those shows we were the opening act.” The Charmaines called it a day in the early 70s but several of their records remained popular with dancers on the UK’s northern soul scene. That popularity received a boost in the mid-2000s when their great version of Ike & Tina Turner’s ‘I Idolize You’ was made available for the first time, immediately finding favour with DJs and club-goers. During their career the group had singles on six different labels, but they never did have an album released. We rectify that situation here with this stylishly packaged vinyl-only collection of their finest Fraternity recordings. Along with the above-mentioned titles, highlights include ‘Goodbye Baby Goodbye’, the Shirelles-style ‘Where Is The Boy Tonight’, their rip-roaring version of ‘Rockin’ Pneumonia’ and three terrific examples of their work as backing singers for Fraternity label-mates Lonnie Mack and Carl Edmondson. MICK PATRICK

[engl] Dan Melchior is artist as perpetual motion machine. We could say “shark,” but Dan doesn’t sniff for blood in the water. Instead, he is inviting you to his private lake; his solace relies on his relentless creativity. Whether painting, writing, collaging or recording, Dan offers nothing less than words, images and sounds transmitted directly from his subconscious, but filtered through the rigorous process of a true artist. Dan’s latest offering is a superb collection of songs and sonic vignettes that dips down deep into life’s trenches. Here, where light has to fight to be noticed, misery, monotony and melancholy mingle and bleed into one another. Accordingly, Dan doesn’t play the blues, he plays the greys. Plays The Greys is a patchwork album, but don’t let that imply carelessness. Each odd juxtaposition serves a purpose and illuminates its surroundings like a torch in the night. Part one and part two of the title track are perfect examples of Dan’s decidedly non-academic approach to musique concrete’s a-musical gestures. Field recordings bump up against back-porch guitar plucking that morphs into radio declarations by the good Christians among us. Praise be. In more ways than one, “Death Has No Mercy” is the center of the album. Midway through its hazy meanderings, “Death…” jumps into an uptempo backwoods jaunt. It’s good to know that the guitar is always there, providing a means for expression and catharsis. Suffering in recent years through immense personal tragedy, Dan channels all that pain and helplessness into an extended rumination on grief and the challenge of living with permanent ache. So forget what I wrote earlier -- Dan Melchior has indeed made a blues album, one fit for 2016, and beyond. - e/n

[engl] Last time we checked in with Dan Melchior, he was Playing The Greys (see Ever/Never # 21). What has he been up to lately? Melchior is as aesthetically restless as he is endlessly creative, so in between recording an album with Austin TX art-punk trio Spray Paint and a myriad of tape and vinyl releases, Dan found the time to gift Ever/Never with another classic slice of Melchiorcore (please, shoot the messenger for that one). Road Not Driving is a 12” EP that covers a fair amount of ground during its runtime. “I Got A Feeling” starts out as a feel-bad ode to, well, feeling bad, and then finds itself truly sinking into the muck as the track distorts beyond all reason, until coming around full circle at the conclusion. Climate change has got us all down, but at least you can commiserate with the guitar slicks and (gulf jet)stream-of-consciousness lyrics of “Another Oil Spill.” In the icily observant “Cold Town,” Dan’s previous locale , Ohio -- and the lake-effect of the Midwest pokes its head through the (grey) clouds. The storm clouds hover over side two’s “Relics,” which finds Dan casting about for some kind of connection. Those bleak months -- half a year really -- can weigh a man down but they leave plenty of time to come up with creative ways of dealing with the isolation. Yet, when connection comes in the form of “Bus Stop Ghouls,” perhaps it’s preferable to be alone after all. Melchior closes out this potent dip into his stewing brain with the title track and all we can say is Godspeed, sir. -e/n

[engl] The Dells are one of the finest R&B vocal groups and the only one to survive with pretty much the same line up to this day and were a viable act until the '90s!vThis compilation features lots of songs from their early singles including, 'Dreams of Contentment' and the Doo Wop classic, 'Oh What a Night'. Also included on this set are songs from their 1961 recordings with the legendary Dinah WashingtonvThe Dells were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and one listen to this collection will confirm why!

[engl] A two-sided trip to 'EL! Pummeling jungle/Tequila SLOPstromental on the A! FLIP: Demented Mexican jungle lope slinkiness with demented accompaniment of bird/ape/bat sounds!

[engl] The first ever vinyl LP compilation of songs by the great Eddie and Ernie! The duo produced tons of great singles throughout the 60’s and early 70’s. This LP features a couple dance numbers, but mostly slow dramatic soul ballads reminiscent of the best moments of more well known acts like Sam and Dave and Otis Redding. Some pretty eerie soaring vocals and existential lyrics of the highest order. Under appreciated in their time, Eddie and Ernie are two of soul musics greatest talents!

[engl] Big-beat pounding UK soul/mod whopper ode to the toilet flush! FLIP: Halloween/Stalker/Molester STROLLER SUPREME by some Truly Twisted Texans!

[engl] Much in-demand jungle-rhythm call-and-response soul-pleading supremacy! BACKED WITH: Grunting original take of Monsieur Bonds' "I Wanna Holler", recorded in a cavernous sex club basement with K-Y aplenty, this drum-heavy and sex-mad jungle hopper shall surely make any party come alive!

[engl] primitive blues rocker b/w ballad

[engl] Pounding southern Ohio surf instrumental BLASTER ala the Wailers' "Wailin", replete with infectious handclaps & ungodly screams! FLIP: Kentucky garage instrumental wailer somewhat "Tequila"-riffed.

[engl] Jack Scott (born January 24, 1936, Windsor, Ontario, Canada – died December 12, 2019, Warren, Michigan, USA) was a Canadian/American singer and songwriter. He was the first white rock and roll star to come out of Detroit, Michigan. He has been called "undeniably the greatest Canadian rock and roll singer of all time. Deluxe reissue of Canadian-American singer first album originally released on Carlton in 1959. Six of 12 songs on this album became hit singles! This shows the beggining of the carreer of the greatest Canadian Rock’n’Roll singer of all time.

[engl] Simply insane drum-led soul pounder that goes minimal on lyrical matter to keep you concentrated on your hip shake and footwork moves! BACKED WITH: Driving, just plain DRIVING soul shaker, this one as per above, minimal on the lyrics so as not to distract you from wildly gyrating!

[engl] BLASTIN' 1964 garage cover of the Ted Taylor monster! FLIP: BLASTIN' 1965 New Zealand beat-rockin' beast!

[engl] Drum-pounding scrtch-scrtch guitar soul duet slammer! BACKED WITH: Sexy, grooving funky soul ripoff of Howlin' Wolf's "Forty Four", replete with Hammond galore and a finger-snappin' lurch!