Black Jacket Racket Vol. II

The problem with most compilations is that they have only a handful of good tracks, with a lot of duds mixed in. Of course, there are those rare exeptions that rock consistantly from beginning to end. Thankfully, Black Jacket Racket (Skully Records) is one of them. This second compilation from indie label Skully Records offers an eclectic mix of modern day rockabilly. Several numbers are reminiscent of something you might hear in a Russ Meyer film, including "16 Day" by the Satellites and Speed Crazy's "Train Wreck," while others seem to be taken straight from Carl Perkins' attic, like The Sureshots' "Ain't Being Lonely" or "Rockabilly Way" by The Megatones. A few psychobilly bands, like TR6 and Barnyard Ballers, are also on hand to make sure thinks don't get too predictable.

What is perhaps most inspiring about this album, however, is how many of the groups hail from outside the U.S., including The Megatones (Finland), The Phantom Cowboys (UK), and The Coronets (Japan). Jammed rim-to-ri with rocking tunes, this disc proves that rockabilly is alive and well around the globe.

- Nori Negrón-Casimiro