Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Atmospheres - The Fickle Chicken c/w Kabalo
 | The a-side of this 1959 single is an archetypical chicken bop, which in itself is very cool, but the b-side "Kabalo" is a genuine treasure. Neither side is surf, but it is genuine vintage rock instrumental. The Atmospheres were from Highland Park, Texas, with Ben Hill, Bill Kramer, Ken Waldrop, Steve Voekel, Jack Allday, and Clarke Brown, Jr.. |
Picks: The Fickle Chicken, Kabalo
Track by Track Review
Rockabilly (Instrumental)
Chicken boppin' rockabilly hoppin' fun... like you'd expect at the barn dance in old Nashville. way fun, but pretty derivative. "Fickle Chicken" apes clucking via the guitar, something that Link Wray have have pioneered. It's a pretty fun rockabilly instro in the classic chicken bop style. Originally issued as the b-side to "Kabalo" on LIN 5023-45 (Gainesville, Texas) in 1959.
Rock (Instrumental)
"Kabalo" is a really fine track, with a Johnny Cash kinda rhythm and a haunting delayed lead and infectious piano. This is truly a gem... The kinda track that makes you wanna go back and hear it again and again.