Artists | Issues | CD Reviews | Interviews | Concert Reviews | DVD/Video Reviews | Book Reviews | Who We Are | Staff | Home
 

Various Artists

Destination Jurassic Land: 33 Artifacts From Times Before Christ

Review by Gary Hill

This set is a lot of fun. That said, there is a real misogynistic, dare I say "Neanderthal?," theme to some of the lyrics here. The picture on the inside of the CD tray also shows that concept. That makes for a less than ideal vibe from that point of view. Still, there is plenty of fun music here, anyway. We get a lot of old school rock and roll of various varieties. There are a couple audio trailers, one for a film and one a television show. We even get the theme song to "The Flintstones."

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023  Volume 1. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Track by Track Review
The Blubbery Hellbellies - Prehistoric Plateau
Driving rockabilly starts this set. The tune is a lot of fun.
Tommy Roe & The Satins - Caveman
More changy in nature, this still has some solid hooks and solid old-school rock and roll in the mix. It makes me think of Chuck Berry to some degree.
The Hollywood Argyles - Alley-Oop            
Here we get a slower tune. This is a famous romp, and it works pretty well.          
John Zacherle - I Was A Teen-Age Caveman
This bouncy tune is fun, if a bit silly. It has some pretty questionable brutality in the lyrics, though. This definitely has "novelty song" written all over it.  The horn work is interesting.
Buddy Merrill - Brontosaurus Walk
A surf guitar instrumental, this has some definite "Secret Agent Man" and "Love Potion Number 9"  vibes to it. I like this a lot. In fact, I'd consider it one of my favorites here.  
The Piltdown Men - Fossil Rock   
Another instrumental, this has some tasty saxophone. It's a fun old-school rock and roll romp.
Tommy Mercer & The McBrides - Volcano Rock 
This is definitely fun stuff. The horns bring some special magic to it. I'm not completely sold on the backing vocals, though. There are a lot of sound effects on the track, too.
Terry Fell - Caveman
Very much a novelty song, this is fun, but a little too silly for me.
Terry Wayne - Dinosaur Caravan
I dig the rock and roll guitar on this. This has a definite rockabilly angle to it.       
Link Wray & His Ray Men - Dinosaur
Another instrumental, this features some killer surf guitar and honking horns.
The Piltdown Men - Big Lizard
The horns are a big part of the magic on this rocker. The organ, and the whole track, really makes me think of Booker T. and The MGs. It's another instrumental piece.
Tommy Steele & The Steelmen - Rock With The Caveman
I really love this fun rocking romp. It's one of the highlights of the set.
Richie Allen - Caveman     
A surf guitar instrumental, this is another standout here. It's so classy.
The Avengers - Be A Cave Man
This old school rock and roller has some definite misogynistic lyrics. Musically this is the kind of thing that was a huge influence on punk rock. There are some sound effects built into it.
Movie Trailer - One Million Years BC
This is just what it says it is, the audio of the trailer for the classic B movie.
Nervous Norvous - Ape Call
Here we get a silly, but entertaining novelty tune. It has a ukulele arrangement and some ridiculously fun vocals.
The Piltdown Men - McDonald's Cave
A bouncy instrumental, this, as you can probably guess, is based on "Old McDonald."
Television Trailer - Captain Caveman And The Teen Angels
Another truth in advertising moment, this is the audio of a trailer for the Saturday morning show.
Jerry Coulston with The Jades & The Pacers- Cave Man Hop       
A silly, but fun, doo wop rock and roller, this really grooves.
The Flintstones - Meet The Flintstones
Yes, this is the theme song from the classic cartoon.           
The Piltdown Men - Goodnight Mrs. Flintstone
This is another instrumental rock and roller. I recognize the tune, but can't quite place what it is.
The Majestics - Cave Man Rock
A classy rocking romp, the saxophone and piano on this are great. The vocal arrangement is vintage cool, too.    
The Pre-Historics - Alley-Oop Cha-Cha-Cha
I like this version of "Alley Oop" better than the earlier one. It just seems to have a better vocal arrangement and a superior groove.       
Randy Luck - I Was A Teen-Age Cave Man
There is an echoey, spooky vibe to this version of the song. The lyrics really have some issues.
Space Man with The Rockets - Cave Man Love
Mostly an instrumental, this features wailing saxophone and some solid guitar. The only vocals are a primitive sounding version of the title with some grunts before them.
Gary 'Spider' Webb - The Cave -Part I
Echoey, this is classy old-time groove. Bongos are an interesting touch, and the guitar has some real style. This has a real beatnik feeling to it, and it's quite artsy. This has a lot of skit type interplay on the spoken vocals.
Gary 'Spider' Webb - The Cave -Part II
This feels like a rehash of the previous tune, but I suppose that makes sense. The guitar gets more prominence, and this is more musical.
Joe Villa & Royal Teens - Caveman
This bouncy rock and roller definitely feels like a novelty tune.
The Piltdown Men - Gargantua
Another instrumental tune, this just oozes cool and charm.
The Vibrations - Cave Man
With a driving arrangement and doo wop vocals, this is another fun romp.
Nero & The Gladiators - In The Hall Of The Mountain King          
I've always been a big fan of the classical piece that is at the heart of this. The tune rocks and grooves with a lot of style, turning the track into a surf guitar styled instrumental.
The Piltdown Men - Brontosaurus Stomp (Stereo Version)
Drums are prominent on this driving instrumental. It has plenty of surf guitar in the mix, too.
Big Art Peters - Prehistoric Plateau
A different version of the song that started this album, I think I prefer this take on it. It feels punky.
 
Return to the
Various Artists Artist Page
Return to the
Link Wray Artist Page
Artists Directory
 
Google

   Creative Commons License
   This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.

    © 2024 Music Street Journal                                                                           Site design and programming by Studio Fyra, Inc./Beetcafe.com