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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.
 
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