V/A - Speechless: Half A Ton Of Rockin’ Instrumentals 2 x CD (Western Star) 

This double CD package from UK based Western Star Records veers a bit from their usual program of delivering outstanding rockabilly tunes. For this 50 song release, the label goes instrumental, with their stable of bands coming into the Western Star studio to lay to tape their unique takes on a bunch of instrumental rock classics, along with bands that come in with their own compositions. Given that the label specializes in rockabilly you'd expect this collection to just be rockabilly tunes stripped of vocals. However, you'd be wrong because the bands instead have taken this opportunity to do instros in a variety of styles - traditional surf, Euro instro, spaghetti western, garage instro, early rock n’ roll, and more. None of the bands here are familiar to me, although famed Clem Cattini of The Tornados guests with Ray Fenwick on the tune “Swingin’ Low”. Great tunes, great sound and with 50 songs on this 2-CD set there's definitely something for everyone here.

Tracks:

Disc 1:

1. I’ll Meet You At The Titty Twister – El Compton
2. The Phantom – The Go Go Cult
3. Hell Riders – The Sharks
4. Siberian Surfer – The Wolftones
5. Mexican Wildfire – The Bonneville Barons
6. The Switch – Howlin’ Wilson
7. Quatermass – Kill Van Helsing
8. Hoots Mon – McNasty’s Unsavoury Six
9. Theme From The Traitors – The Packabeats
10. Rocket To Neptune (Alt’ Version) – The Go Go Cult
11. High Tide – Pete Hutton & The Beyonders
12. El Corazon De El Diablo – Rudy La Crioux & The All-Stars
13. Swingin’ Low – Ray Fenwick & Clem Cattini
14. Dragstrip – Jack Rabbit Slim
15. Egyptian Reggae – The Sharks
16. The Mental Breakdown – The Red Hot Trio
17. Fireball XL5 – Howlin’ Wilson
18. Hawaiian Thang – Chuck & The Hulas
19. Dream Lover – The Packabeats
20. Jackrabbit Run – The Bonneville Barons
21. Chucks Mambo (Alt Version) – The Frantic Flintstones
22. Dia De Los Muertos – Bill Fadden & The Mostly Losers
23. Devil Girl From Mars – Norm & The Nightmarez
24. Cat Fight – Jack Rabbit Slim
25. Sugar Foot Rag – The Hyenas

Disc 2:

1. Cosmonaut – The Sharks
2. Daggertrap – The Kings Of Outer Space
3. El Cerdito – Cowboy & The Corpse
4. Lon Chaney Watusi – The Go Go Cult
5. Blue Blue Beat – Howlin’ Wilson
6. Down Mexico Way – El Compton
7. Freak Juvenile – The Mystery Gang Trio
8. Henry’s Hop – Henry & The Bleeders
9. Hot Dang Hee Haw – The Chills
10. Marine Boy – The Sharks
11. Wall Of Death – Jack Rabbit Slim
12. Strollin – The Bonneville Barons
13. Rattlesnake – The Bullets
14. Night Of The Vampire – Howlin’ Wilson
15. Navajo Joe – The Go Go Cult
16. Gasolina – The Cheaterslicks
17. Helldorado – Jack Rabbit Slim
18. Moonlight Indian Rest – The Bonneville Barons
19. Spanish Sun – The Red Hot Trio
20. The Giant – Ruby Darnell & The Lazy Rancheros
21. Telstar – Howlin’ Wilson
22. Kirky Loop – The Bastard Sons Of Cavan
23. The Tears Of The USS Arizona – Chuck & The Hulas
24. Eggnog Twist – Thee Elfmen
25. Arkansas Traveller – The Ugly Dog Skiffle Combo