Various Artists — Leather Jackets And Diesel Smoke

Leather Jackets And Diesel Smoke is the next in the seemingly unending 'Lux and Ivy' series of compilations from Righteous. The two-disc CD set finds respected music journalist Dave Henderson compiling together groovy, crude, and bizarre 45s from between the 1950s and 1960s. This time around it’s another suitable varied ride.

Once more the two discs come presented in a clear jewel case. It takes in an eight-page inlay booklet, with a few-page write-up about the compilation tracks and their themes by Mr Henderson. Dotted throughout 45’s vinyl labels, 

In total, the compilation takes in fifty tracks- twenty-six on disc one, and twenty-four on disc two- with a good variety of tracks on both discs.

On disc one, we move from rough ‘n’ ready galloping percussion, gunning guitar, and shouty rock ‘n’ roll vocals of Tyrone Shmidling’s “You’re Gone, I’m Left”. Onto plodding & wavering church organ, piano keys, female backing vocals, and rather blunt little girl lead vocals of Pam Thum’s “The Devil’s Suitcase”. We have doo-wop harmonies, jarring buzzing vocal sounds, talky male storytelling & big band groove of “Busy Line” by The Billy Willams Quartet.

Moving onto disc we have the crudely sneering horns, battering ‘n’ hissing percussion, and gunning guitars of the instrumental “The City” by Sandy Nelson. There’s the snaking-to-bonding ethnic tribal rhythms of “Bongosera”  by Grupo Afro-Cubano. We have jiggling guitars, occasional harsh horn honking, and singing-semi spoken word storytelling vocals of Doye O’Dell’s “Diesel Smoke”. The disc/ compilation is finished off with Vancie Flowers's “Wet Back” with its blend of galloping south-of-the-border percussion & wavering, at points roughly harmonising female vocals.

Leather Jackets And Diesel Smoke shows there’s plenty more gas left in this series tank- with another nicely varied, at points surprising selection of tracks on offer. Here’s looking forward to our next trip back into the dusty crates.