Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Davie Allan & the Arrows- "Blues Theme" LP, and "Apache '65/Blue Guitar" 45



Every younger generation has to go one step further than the last, and in that way I see Davie Allan to Link Wray. Where Link Wray seemed to write street fighting anthems, Davie Allan was more into motorcycles and tough guy cruising tunes.
Allan's claim to fame was "King of the Fuzz Guitar" and I sure love fuzzy music, especially swarming over trebly primitive backdrop plus the longest tune is 2:10. Too tough to live, too fast to die.
There are a few songs that seem like either pressure for the label or audience pandering, namely "William Tell 1967" and "Ghost Riders in the Sky." They aren't bad renditions but they lack the spark and street punk nature of the Arrows' originals. That's an unusual amount of freedom for a small band at that time. A lot of the albums by its contemporary garage rock vocal bands have one amazing song, maybe a few copies of said song, and a whole lot of covers of already popular songs. All in all these records don't really stand up as strong as they could, but "Blues Theme" is definitely an exception.
I was lucky enough to find an inexpensive first press of the record...and here it is...

http://www.mediafire.com/?m0mxnhihzmg



This must have predated the "King of Fuzz Guitar" title (released 2 years before "Blues Theme"), seeing as these tunes are not fuzzy, but don't let that stop you. "Apache '65" is a very strong, solid rocker and "Blue Guitar" reminds me of Duane Eddy's "The Lonely One," if only because it's a more "sensitive" tune by a rebel rock n' roll guitar slinger, but Allan's retains more street-cred.

http://www.mediafire.com/?uiir1dfeien

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