Rockin' Song of the Week - Number 36

The Starliters -Tom the Boogie Woogie Tom Cat (Tail Records) From Milan, Italy, The Starliters are a hot rockabilly band that have now been on the scene for over a decade. They sound like Jack Baymoore with a slightly bigger nod in the direction of hillbilly. Over the years they've recorded for Rockhouse, Favourite, On the Hill and Tail Records and have provided the backing for American artists, Robert Gordon, Marvin Rainwater and Marti Brom during their tours of Europe. I think they've now signed to El Toro and look forward to their forthcoming album. The only album I've got is the Tail Records effort, Pickin' Up Speed and it's a corker. Recorded at Tails studio in Sweden in 1999 the sound is high quality thanks to the stellar engineering of Lars Strandhiem. Tom the Boogie Woogie Tom Cat is, as Big Sandy might describe it, "hi-billy" music, a rockin' hillbilly boogie which hot steel and electric licks together with a hot piano solo from Boppin' Steve. Max Ammons' vocals are excellent, controlled and exciting at the same time. Recommended listening: Super Trucker, Rocking & Knocking and Gonna Move In.