Reviews roundup – Rajaton vs. Mississippi Heat vs. The Knickerbocker All-Stars vs. Hedersleben 2

Reviews roundup – Rajaton vs. Mississippi Heat vs. The Knickerbocker All-Stars vs. Hedersleben 2

RAJATON
Sings ABBA with Lahti Symphony Orchestra
Plastinka

A welcome reissue of the 2006 album from the Finnish a capella group Rajaton, here accompanied by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra.  And how could it go wrong.  ABBA songs, great vocalists and a symphony orchestra.  Win to the power of 3.

This rightly shot to Number 1 in the Finnish album charts when it came out in 2006, and deservedly so.  It’s remarkably good, but the real treat is when newcomers to the world of a cappella stumble into ‘Voulez Vous’, ‘Head Over Heels’ and ‘Fernando’, where Rajaton go it alone.

This was their seventh album, although I think they’re up to about thirteen now, and it’s a great way in for people to start exploring their vocals.

MISSISSIPPI HEAT
Warning Shot
Delmark

Oh, I do like some jump blues, and this is a mighty fine offering.  The band is headed up by the splendidly named Pierre LaCocque, who certainly knows his way around a moothie, as he and his band blast through an album of red hot rhythm and blues.

Mr LaCocque hails from Chicago, and his jump blues is very much in that idiom, although he’s happy to thrown in boogie and swing, when the music demands it.  It’s mainly original material, but it all sounds as though it’s come from a time machine.  Something that is, officially, A Good Thing.

You can put the needle down into any groove, and be guaranteed a good time, with my favourites du jour being ‘Sweet Poison’, ‘Alley Cat Boogie’, Come to Mama’ and ‘Swingy Dingy Baby’.  Highly recommended.

THE KNICKERBOCKER ALL-STARS
Open Mic At The Knick
JP Cadillac Records

Good grief!  From one red hot rhythm and blues swingfest to another.  My dancing shoes will need to be fumigated after this is all over.  This time it’s from the Knickerbocker All-Stars.  Not a name I would have chosen, but as soon as they rip into the opening ‘You Upset Me Baby’, it’s a pedal to the metal party.

It’s a big band, with a fantastic horn section, and they breathe new life into some hoary old blues chestnuts, which have been done every which way but loose, but come across here as reinvigorated.  So that’s the likes of ‘Turn On Your Love Light’, ‘Ain’t That Lovin’ You Baby’ with a guest vocal from Curtis Salgado, and a couple of songs most associated with Freddie King – ‘Tore Down’ and ‘Going Down’.

It’s wall to wall enjoyment, and is one of my favourite blues releases of the year.

HEDERSLEBEN 2
Die Neuen Welten
independent

Finally, for today, something a wee bit different from what’s up above, even by a cappella Abba standards.  Yes it’s some Krautrock from Kalifornia.

It’s the follow up to their debut “Upgoer”, and sees Nicky Garratt (Guitars), Kephera Moon (Keys), Kati Knox (Vocals), Bryce Shelton (Bass), and Jason Willer (Drums/Percussion) mixing up Krautrock and spacerock to great effect.  Mind you, they should be good, seeing as how they record and perform with Nik Turner as Nik Turner’s Hawkwind and collaborate with Joel Vandroogenbroeck to form the present day version of Brainticket.

The best is up front as they swoosh their way through the eighteen minute ‘Zu Den Neuen Welten’, and it’s a timeless track that could easily have come from the seventies.  It’s nearest competitor is the much more prog rock offering of ‘(On the Ground) Safe ‘n’ Sound’, but the whole album is worth hearing.

It’s an odd cove.  A California bases band, named after a city halfway between Hanover and Berlin, featuring two former members of UK punk band, the UK Subs, playing seventies styled Krautrock / spacerock.  But sometimes, weird is good.