“Green Onions”  by Booker T. & The M.G.s  Stax Records  1962  The first hit from he Memphis Sound of Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Al Jackson, Jr and Donald “Duck” Dunn (who would replace original bassist Lewis Steinberg)  The album also features a great follow up – “Mo Onions”  So good it could make you cry!  Dig it!

(56 votes, average: 3.96 out of 5)

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“Surfer Girl”  The Sentinals  “12 Swingin’ Tunes for the Tuffest of Bunnies”  Del-Fi Records  (1963)   The second Sentinals long-player, Surfer Girl (1963), followed their debut Big Surf! (1963) by only a few scant months. The five-member unit featured future Turtles and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young percussionist Johnny Barbata (drums), alongside Tommy Nunes (guitar), Bobby Holmquist (sax), Harry Sackrider (guitar), and Kenny Hinkle (vocals/bass). Their sound is comparable to that of their first collection, blending a handful of originals — primarily by Hinkle this time rather than Nunes — with some adeptly chosen covers. The platter kicks off on the upbeat and clap-happy “Surf ‘n Soul,” sporting a built-in party atmosphere and the occasional whistle and shout thrown in for maximum effect. Although the Holmquist-penned “Sentinal” is presumably the band’s theme song, it bears an uncanny resemblance to the Royaltones’ second-tier hit “Flamingo Express,” while Hinkle’s “Nite Shuffle” is based on “Night Theme” by the Preps, according to Bryan Thomas’ liner notes in the 2004 Big Surf!/Surfer Girl CD reissue. Other standouts of note are the redux of Jessie Hill’s Crescent City R&B classic “Ooh Poh Pa Doo” and Freddie King’s “Sensation,” both of which are admittedly lightweight but thoroughly enjoyable. One of the more fascinating remakes is the comparatively up-tempo rendering of the Beach Boys’ title track “Surfer Girl.” Should keen-eared listeners detect something slightly different about the performance, it may well be because the combo in question is actually the Lively Ones rather than the Sentinals — again, based on Thomas’ essay. This brings up the inevitable conclusion that even though they are undeniably accomplished, the arguably ersatz West Coast style could have easily been mistaken for any number of similar groups such as the Routers, Centurians, Challengers, or Impacts.

Good eye Steve!

(48 votes, average: 3.81 out of 5)

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“Good Grief, Its… CANDY”  Colleen Lovett  Laff Records For Adults Only   “Happiness is a bare bottom”

(254 votes, average: 3.48 out of 5)

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The Mad-Hatters  From the Greene County Tuberculosis Society of Springfield, Missouri.  Here’s a rarity – a simple DIY paste-on front cover with these simple, odd paper “creations” representing some of the songs inside.  All having to do with the ill effects and respiratory problems of having Tuberculosis.  This is incredibly strange.  (Thanks to Will and Show and Tell Music, who might have more to add…)

(66 votes, average: 3.80 out of 5)

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“Count ‘Em”  Quincy Jones with Harry Arnold and his Swedish Radio Studio Orch.  Recorded in Stockholm for Metronome Records (1958)  A three-song EP with “Count ‘Em”, “Meet Benny Bailey” (featuring the added trumpet of … Benny Bailey) and “Cherokee”  These tracks are also on the LP “Quincy’s Home Again”.  Q writes in the notes, “The atmosphere, the warmth, the musicianship and the understanding I found in Sweden certainly make me consider it my spiritual home”  Consider in contrast what blacks, including many brilliant jazz artists, were experiencing in their native home America in 1958 and why so many became expatriates in Europe for years.  Thanks to Lp cover lover, ULF for another fine contribution.

(44 votes, average: 3.41 out of 5)

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Pedro Pinho e Paulo Pontes  “Berrante Do Tempo”  (Brazil)  (1984)

(63 votes, average: 3.52 out of 5)

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The Gaylords  “On the Town”  Mercury Records EP

(44 votes, average: 3.23 out of 5)

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Above, just three of the many comic illustrations that grace the covers of Os Velhinhos records, a Brazillian group that I know little about.  (Perhaps one of our readers can help shed light on what must have been a popular band.)  After seeing their caricatures on Brazilian sleeves for so long, it was fun to see the real guys on the record that Tony found below>

Post Script:  The band “Os Velhinhos Transviados” (The misled elderly) was formed by José Menezes de França, a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist and composer that decided to compose with other experienced musicians parodies of old and new songs.  It was a satire: they played old music in a modern way and modern music in an old way, just for fun.  (Thanks to Eric and his friend from Brazil)

(42 votes, average: 3.86 out of 5)

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Sobe e Desce  CBS Records (Brazil)   Hi, My name´s Rafael and I´m from Brazil.   The “LP Cover Lover” is Fantastic.  “Prateado e Belinho” – In English, “Silvered and Handsome – Up and Down”  This is “Sertanejo” music. (a.k.a american country music)

(38 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)

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Raymond Boisserie

(41 votes, average: 3.71 out of 5)

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