Boz Boorer - Miss Pearl/My Wild Life

by Malcolm Carter

published: 16 / 1 / 2011

Label: Floating World Records
Format: CD

Fantastic, authentic-sounding rock 'n' roll on highly charged double album reissue from Morrissey's musical director, Boz Boorer

Review

We reviewed ‘Miss Pearl’ when it was originally released back in 2008 and can still stand by the comments we made then. Highly-charged rock ‘n’ roll / rockabilly delivered with the passion that ex Polecat and musical director to Morrissey, Boz Boorer, excels at was how the album sounded then and it’s lost none of the power and excitement it originally delivered over the last couple of years. Of course the music is representative of an era long gone but Boorer makes an excellent job of keeping this genre alive. On ‘Miss Pearl’ Boorer is joined by Adam Ant on an excellent version of Hank Mizell’s ‘Jungle Rock’ and his take on ‘Yakety Yak’ with Chrisse Lane will raise a few smiles. ‘My Wild Life’ was originally released a good few years before ‘Miss Pearl’ and it’s another fine collection of authentic rock ‘n’ roll. Boorer’s trademark guitar licks are, as ever to the fore, and vocally the rocker has always impressed with his passionate, clear vocals. Never a screamer, even when at his wildest, Boorer’s vocals always impress and he manages to capture that authentic early rock ‘n’ roll sound perfectly. Both albums are a mixture of Boorer originals sprinkled with a few covers here and there and it shows what a talent Boorer is that songs that were composed five decades ago merge seamlessly with his originals. Boorer produces his own albums and apart from his excellent guitar playing and passionate vocals it’s here that he really shines. Could any other contemporary producer come up with a sound as authentic as the one Boorer makes? It’s debatable. While these two albums will not be to everyone’s taste there is a lot here that stands repeated listening even if rockabilly isn’t your thing. It’s amazing to hear a song like ‘You Got Me Reelin’ from the ‘My Wild Life’ album and discover that it’s a Boorer original and not some long-lost classic from the fifties. There’s no denying that Boorer is one of the best, if not the best, at recreating these cherished sounds. Obviously Boorer is playing the music that’s closest to his heart on these two albums and although on some of his past work with other artists from Morrissey to Kirsty MacColl and Edwyn Collins he left his musical mark his rockabilly obsession wasn’t always as to the fore as it is on his solo/Polecats work. While Boorer’s work with those artists brought out another side to their music it’s impressive that he is just not stuck in the one genre where his heart so obviously belongs. In closing and talking about Boorer’s production work, especially at his own Serra Vista Studio in Portugal which he runs with his wife Lyn (of the Shillelagh Sisters) mention must be made of the sterling production job Boorer recently completed on Louise Aubrie’s ‘Fingers Crossed’ album. As with this double CD reissue it comes highly recommended.

Track Listing:-

1 Miss Pearl
2 B29 (Droppin' Bombs On Your Heart)
3 She's My Little Woman
4 Dollar Short
5 Cold Feet
6 Rockaway Beach
7 Bad Hangover
8 Deep Shade Of Blue
9 Crash The Party
10 Atom Bomb Baby
11 Jitterbop Baby
12 Rock 'N' Roll Ruby
13 In The Witchin' Hour
14 Yakaty Yak
15 Jungle Rock
16 Ruff 'N' Ready
17 Shorty
18 Longest Sleep
19 I'll Get You Right Out Of My Mind
20 My Wild Life
21 Little Miss Misery
22 Lonesome Baby
23 Howlin' Wolfman
24 Burnin' Out
25 Bongos Breakdown
26 Tides Gotta Change
27 You Can't Get That Stuff No More
28 Shruggin' You Off
29 You Got Me Reelin'
30 Dixie Roll
31 Ain't No Sign
32 Nothin' But A Nothin'
33 Blue Moon Of Kentucky
34 Lettin' You Off
35 Gravedigger Rock
36 Rockin' All Night Long
37 How Can I Tell You That I Luv Ya