Customer Reviews

Ruckus Juice & Chitlins 2

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I'm not exactly sure what drew me to this wonderful album, but am I glad I found it! Harvey Pekar had mentioned his interest in old jug band recordings from the 1920s and 30s a few times, and so when I saw this compilation, I immediately picked it up. I suppose the bizarre cover photo was also an attraction. If you're familiar with the music of R. Crumb & His Cheap Suit Seranaders or if you own the soundtracks to any of Terry Zweigoff's movies, you have some idea what to expect. This is as joyful and soulful as music gets. I wish this kind of music were in style today!

My favorite tracks are "Stealin', Stealin," "Old Folks Started It," and "He's In the Jailhouse Now." Rest assured, though, there's no filler here. You'll be nodding your head and tapping your foot to this CD in no time.

This album is ridiculously cool and great. Generically, the songs are all over the map: equal parts jazz and hillbilly music. Jug bands were the missing link between urban pop and rural folk forms. Who knew? You're missing out if you don't have this CD.

THis is YAZOO's follow-up to the outstanding volume 1 of this series. It is equally brilliant with more of the MEMPHIS JUG BAND, CANNON JUG STOMPERS and WHISTLERS JUG BAND. Additional highlights are EZRA BUZZINGTON'S RUSTIC REVELER'S Brown Jug Blues (the band that spawned the HOOSIER HOT SHOTS)and and 2 outstanding efforts: SMACKIN' THE SAX by the PHILLIPS LOUISVILLE JUG BAND and WHAT MAKES MY BABY CRY by the FIVE HARMANIACS. These two pieces alone are worth the price of this CD! Like its predecessor this offering is heavily bluesy. Great Americana from the 1920's and 1930's! Equally fascinating is the fact that whether it is playing with a guitar, violin, harmonica or saxophone, the jug holds its own!