Dave and the Orbits - Chili Beans / Cheetah's Uncle

This has been one of my favorite weirdo instrumental discs for a few months now. Cheetah's Uncle (no idea where THAT title comes from) is a flanged-out stomper that grabs you on the first note. Chili Beans is a bit reminiscent of Johnny & the Hurricanes' Sheba -- likely no coincidence as D. Yorko here is none other than Dave Yorko of the same band (source)

Chili Beans

Cheetah's Uncle

The Jolly Jacks - Rock the House / There's Something On Your Mind

I'll admit to enjoying the jive-talking records like Effie Smith and Andre Williams, and this has a lot in common with the "Black Godfather's" material. I vastly prefer Rock the House, an organ groover with a similar vibe to "Pass the Hatchet". I've never been a fan of Big Jay McNeely's "There is Something On Your Mind" nor its multitude of cover versions and this is no exception. Didn't find much information on this one other than a date of 1965 and that it was a bit of regional hit in Baltimore.

Rock the House

There is Something on Your Mind

The Quests - Instrumentally Yours

The Quests are one of Singapore's biggest instrumental groups in the same way that America had the Ventures and, more appropriately in this case, England had the Shadows. While it might be somewhat surprising to hear, given the paltry amount of far east rock & roll that found its way to English-speaking culture, they were hardly alone (see The Swallows). The big influence that could be heard in nearly all of it was the Shadows. For instance, here's an earlier Quests single (there's better quality versions out there, but they don't allow embedding).

However, the selections on Instrumentally Yours come a bit later and, like many instrumental groups later in their career, they've worked in some pretty serious fuzz, Davie Allan style and a bit of psychedelic influence.

The Indian Maid

Return of Spring

Sayonara

Why Go To the Temple

The Diablos - El Bandito / Hombre

These are some pretty fun latin-ish instrumentals arranged by Joe Negroni of Frankie Lyman and the Teenagers (not able to dig anything up on the rest of the credits). El Bandito appears to be the A side despite being more or less a throwaway, clocking in at only one minute and 40 seconds. However, "Hombre" is the scorcher here, mixing the goofy muted cornets (not sure about that, they almost sound like a vocal imitation of a trumpet) with some absolutely beautiful heavily reverbed guitar.

El Bandito


Hombre


It appears this might have had a Spanish release with a picture cover afterward (the Jubilee disc was released in 1966, this references 1967)

Senor Wences - Deefeecult for Me / 'S-All Right?

Man, when I update this blog so infrequently, you'd think I'd post something awesome, right? In fact, I think I've even got a few awesome things I could post. But instead, I give you this silly novelty record.

"Deeefeecult for you- easy for me"
More of the same here "'S-all right? 'S All Right!"

The Moonrays - It's Love Baby / What's Your Name

This is a pretty good lil' 45 that got buried in my collection and retrieved when I was looking for the Moonglows. Don't know anything about it's backstory, but I pick up a bit of a Link Wray influence on both.

It's Love Baby is rockin' love tune with a stompin' pace to it.


What's Your Name has the same gist, but an instrumental with louder raspy guitar. Gotta love the pounding drums

Surfin' on Wave Nine (Comp on King)

A friend picked this compilation up for me for a buck at a record fair and it was well worth it! I was pretty curious given that you rarely find any surf on King (though the classic Car Hop by the Exports was) and most of what we have here are pretty obscure as well. In fact, I can't find a mention of The Nutrons anywhere else. Despite that, it's certainly got some surfy tunes, such as The Tramps' Maharadja and the inclusions by the Vice Roys. A lot of the tracks are supplied by the more titty-shakin' Nutrons, all of which are pretty fun. A standout to me is The Wobble by the Wobblers, featuring goofy bubble sounds over a fun R&B twister. Looks like it's off a James Brown LP?

Give it a looksee