While some R&B historians would no doubt prefer all four volumes in a single, convenient package with a comprehensive booklet, the decision to issue the albums in separate volumes gives the consumer more choice.
Instead of being forced to buy the entire package, you can focus on the period in the Excello story that is of the greatest interest. Volume 1 (1952-1955) and Volume 2 (1955-1957) both open with landmark tracks and back them with enough engaging tracks to make them especially tempting. Volume 3 (1957-1961) contains the label's biggest pop hits, while Volume 4 (1961-1975) is of generally less importance.
Excello was one of several labels associated over the years with the Nashboro Record Distributing Co., which was formed in Nashville in the early '50s by Ernie Young, a jukebox operator and record shop owner. The early releases were gospel and blues, though Excello later recorded a few country artists.
The opening track in Volume 1 is Arthur Gunter's "Baby Let's Play House." It wasn't Excello's first release, but was the most significant release from the label's early period because it was later redone by Elvis Presley for Sun Records--and it may well be the Sun release that best defined Elvis' initial rock vision.
Gunter was a young, blues-minded guitarist from Nashville, and "Baby" was his only Top 40 R&B success, reaching No. 12 on the charts in the early weeks of 1955. Within three months, Presley's far more dynamic version was breaking into the Top 10 on the country charts, adding greatly to his early Southern fan base.
Nothing else on Volume 1 approaches the significance of "Baby," but several tracks, including Jack Cooley's "Dyna Flow," Shy Guy Douglas' "I'm Your Country Man" and the Sons of the South's "God Is Alright" will catch your ear.
Volume 2 opens with the Marigolds' "Rollin' Stone," which was an even bigger hit than "Baby," reaching No. 8 on the R&B charts in 1955. Though Presley never recorded the song, the Fontane Sisters had a Top 20 pop hit with it the same year.
The Marigolds' version, however, is by far the better record, and it remains a cult favorite. Its mix of calypso and R&B is often cited as an influence by early reggae artists.
Volume 2 includes two other Excello hits, "It's Love Baby (24 Hours a Day)" by Louis Brooks & His Hi-Toppers with Earl Gaines, and "Pleadin' for Love" by Larry Birdsong with Brooks and the Hi-Toppers. Several other tracks on Volume 2, however, are actually more interesting than those two, reminding us how the best music often doesn't make it onto the charts. Rudy Green's "My Mumblin' Baby" is an oddball classic.
Volume 3 showcases such noteworthy recordings as the Gladiolas' version of "Little Darlin' " (a massive pop hit for the Diamonds), the Crescendos' "Oh Julie," Slim Harpo's marvelous "Rainin' in My Heart" and Lazy Lester's "I'm a Lover, Not a Fighter" (later recorded by the Kinks).
Also in the Stores: "The Last Soul Company: A Thirty Year Retrospective" is an example of a more comprehensive record label survey. The six-disc package, with extensive liner notes by pop historian Rob Bowman, showcases more than 100 recordings that were either released by Malaco Records or recorded in its Jackson, Miss., studios. The lineup includes such hits as Dorothy Moore's country-leaning "Misty Blue" and Anita Ward's energetic gem "Ring My Bell." In addition, "The Last Soul Company" features tracks by such notable figures as Eddie Floyd, Z.Z. Hill, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Denise La Salle and Johnnie Taylor, though not always their most celebrated material.
Unlike Excello, the Malaco operation--which was started in the late '60s with hopes of following in the footsteps of such R&B-oriented labels as Stax and Chess--is still in business. Though the company has had only three pop Top 10 hits and only a handful of R&B hits all these years, it has remained true to its pursuit of honest and affecting R&B, earning rock historian and author Peter Guralnick's description as "the last soul company." ROBERT HILBURN, TIMES POP MUSIC CRITIC
VOL 1 (1952-1955)
1.Baby Let's Play House 2:44 Arthur Gunter
2.Step By Step 1:52 The Boyer Brothers
3.Banana Split 3:05 Kid King's Combo
4.Wail Daddy 2:21 Charlie Dowell Orchestra (featuring Willie Lee Patton)
5.Dyna Flow 2:19 Jack Cooley
6.Down South In Birmingham 2:44 Del Thorne And Her Trio
7.I Got A Home In That Rock 2:53 The Silvertone Singers Of Cincinnati
8.Dirty Britches 2:44 Leap Frog
9.Drive Soldiers Drive 2:59 Little Maxie Bailey
10.Love Me Baby 2:35 Bernie Hardison
11.Driving Down The Highway 2:37 Blue Flamers
12.Best Of Friends 2:41 The Dixie Doodlers
13.I'm Your Country Man 2:44 Shy Guy Douglas
14.Gotta Have You Baby 2:44 Louis Campbell
15.Bus Station Blues 2:32 Louis Brooks & His Pinetoppers
16.You're The Only Good Thing 2:49 Jack Toombs
17.Stealin' Sugar 2:36 Ray Batts
18.Be Bop Baby 2:48 The Peacheroos
19.God Is Alright 2:30 Sons Of South
20.Calling All Cows 2:36 The Blues Rockers
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1.Rollin' Stone 2:52 The Marigolds
2.It's Love Baby (24 Hours A Day) 2:37 Louis Brooks & His Hi-Toppers
3.Now Listen Baby 2:35 Good Rockin' Sam with Kid King's Combo
4.Pork And Beans 2:50 The Solotones
5.Lightnin's Blues 2:56 Lightnin' Slim
6.Courtin' In A Cadillac 2:12 Jerry McCain And His Upstarts
7.My Mumblin' Baby 2:18 Rudy Green
8.Pleadin For Love 2:32 Louis Brooks & His Hi-Toppers
9.Congo Mambo 2:21 Guitar Gable & The Musical Kings
10.Irene 2:56 Guitar Gable & King Karl
11.Kiss-A Me Quick 2:19 Jack Toombs
12.Havin A Whole Lot Of Fun 1:56 Johnny Jano
13.Hey! Baby 2:24 Al Ferrier
14.No Jive 3:11 Little Al
15.Little Lean Woman 2:02 Little Al
16.Chicken Hearted Woman 2:38 Clarence Samuels
17.My Home Is A Prison 3:09 Lonesome Sundown
18.Mean Ol Lonesome Train 3:15 Lightnin' Slim
19.They Call Me Lazy 2:55 Lazy Lester
20.I'm A King Bee 3:02 Slim Harpo
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1.Little Darlin' 2:21 Gladiolas
2.Oh Julie 2:42 The Crescendos
3.You For Me 2:19 Holly Hock
4.Sweetheart Please Don't Go 2:07 Gladiolas
5.Miss You So 2:08 Lillian Offitt
6.Emmitt Lee 2:51 Carol Fran
7.I'm A Lover Not A Fighter 2:27 Lazy Lester
8.Wild Cherry 2:18 Leroy Washington
9.This Should Go On Forever 2:47 Guitar Gable & King Karl
10.Gonna Stick To You Baby 2:04 Lonesome Sundown
11.I Hear You Knockin 2:09 Lazy Lester
12.Rooster Blues 2:30 Lightnin' Slim
13.No Naggin No Draggin 2:43 Arthur Gunter
14.Leavin Tennessee 2:16 Al Garner
15.Now That She's Gone 2:35 The King Crooners
16.Please Think It Over 2:46 Roscoe Shelton
17.Somebody's Gonna Miss Me 2:39 Lattimore Brown
18.Mama Mama Mama (Look What Your Little Boy's Done) 2:13 Warren Storm
19.Prisoner's Song 2:50 Warren Storm
20.Rainin In My Heart 2:32 Slim Harpo
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1.Baby Scratch My Back 2:53 Slim Harpo
2.I'm Tired Waitin' Baby 2:47 Lightnin' Slim
3.Lonesome Lonely Blues 2:52 Lonesome Sundown
4.It's Your Voodoo Working 1:46 Charles Sheffield
5.Hoodoo Party 2:31 Tabby Thomas
6.Love Shock 1:52 Little Sonny
7.Not Welcome Anymore 2:47 Baby Boy Warren
8.Naggin' 2:16 Jimmy Anderson
9.Trouble At Home Blues 2:25 Silas Hogan
10.Mean Woman Blues 2:25 Whispering Smith
11.Winter Time Blues 2:41 Lightnin' Slim
12.Tip On In(Part 1) 2:51 Slim Harpo
13.You Put Your Touch On Me 3:15 Kelly Brothers
14.Soldier's Sad Story 3:01 Tiny Watkins
15.You'll Lose A Good Thing 3:46 Kip Anderson
16.Live And Let Live 2:21 Marva Whitney
17.Right Here Is Where You Belong 4:39 Jerry Washington
18.The Power Is Gone 3:49 Eugene Kemp
19.Snake Out Of The Green Grass(Part 1) 3:39 Roshall Anderson
20.She's All I Got 2:39 Freddie North
320AAC
Puck's Place
4 comments:
And the password on Vol. 4 is?
No passwords ever
Have the links expired? "Server Not Found" or "Difficulty Loading Page" is all that appears. Looks like the Excello series is a lot of fun. Thanks........
19.1.12
Megaupload Shutdown Today
Looks Like All Files Are Gone, Sorry
Posted by puck at 9:27 PM
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