Five Stars - Not for Recording Quality
Samuel D. Carlson | Acworth, GA USA | 12/03/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Though primitive by today's recording standards, this is still an awesome and important album, recorded at the infamous Spanish Castle between Tacoma and Seattle so many years ago... yes the SAME Spanish Castle where Jimi Hendrix and many other played. I can't recall any early NW rock bands that did not include at least one of the songs on this album in their band's set list. It was these songs that influenced me to get active in the music business way back in '61 or '62. I can't wait to hear the Wailers NEW album, "Cadillac to Mexico" in its entirety. I heard a few clips and it knocked my socks off! It is the Wailers' first album in over 30 years. Come on, Amazon... when is "Cadillac" to Mexico going to be offered?"
Do You Like Rock and Roll?
05/10/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a pretty important album by a pretty important band, without these guys the kingsmen would never have covered louie louie, the sonics would never have formed, and in fact there might not be any Northwest music scene at all... But the important thing is not how influential this album is but simply that it rocks very hard,and is an incredible amount of fun... the instrumentals are a fabulous reinterpretation of the memphis rock/soul sound and the guest vocals (particularly on 'I Idolize You') are fearsome... this is real pre beatles thud, scrape, stomp and roar rock and roll music, and demonstrates these high school white boys true love of black music... you should buy this album it's pretty much the definition of garage rock not in a 'let's try and copy the stones' sense but in a truly american 'let's rock out' sense... this is what the stones wished they sounded like on their first few albums..."
Glorious 'n gritty rock 'n roll.
Laszlo Matyas | 06/07/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Recorded in 1961, when the Wailers were just about the biggest band in the whole Pacific Northwest, this record captures Tacoma's favorite sons rockin' out at the Spanish Castle in Midway, Washington. Simply put, it's one of the best rock n roll records ever- the songs are piledriving R&B-influenced ravers with plenty of propulsive rhythms. The instrumentation is a heart-pumping storm of rattling drums, chugging basslines, greasy blues-tinged guitar lines, and smoldering saxophones. Classic instrumentals like "Wailers House Party" and "San Ho-Zay" just beg to b danced to, instantly bringing to mind images of an outta-hand frat party or deranged high school hop. "Tall Cool One" is a mercilessly groovy two-chord groover with some strutting rhythms and a delicious electric piano, while "Sac O' Woe" boasts a relentless drum attack and a swelling organ line. The vocal numbers are excellent as well- the band never had a constant vocalist, and this show features three different singers, each one of which performes two songs. Kent Morrill does a breathless version of "Dirty Robber" while the band keeps up the song's hyperkinetic pace, while his run through "You've Had Your Chance" is pure soul-blues attitude. Rockin' Robin Roberts positively smokes on the salivating grinder "Rosalie," and leads the band through a fiery version of "Since You've Been Gonr." Finally, there's Little Gail Harris, a bewitching girl-group shouter who makes sure that the slow-burning "All I Could Do Was Cry" really burns. Even better is her performance of "I Idolize You," which positively boils ever with raw, gritty, untamed sexuality. Norton's CD reissue of this classic album includes the studio recordings "Mary Ann" and "Louie Louie," which appeared on either side of what may be the group's most important single. Their pounding, propulsive take on the latter (which was, at the time, little more than an R&B obscurity) inspired countless other versions (including the Kingsman's imfamous rendition), turning the song into one of rock n roll's greatest standards. So, for any fan o real rock n roll, this'll be a welcome addition to your collection. Rock out!"
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1