eMusic Review 0
Gordon left Sam Phillips to try his luck elsewhere from 1952 to 1956. When he returned, the rock & roll sound he had midwifed was well established, and Rosco's subsequent output (beginning with "Just Love Me Baby") often reflects that. If "Shoobie Oobie" — an obvious echo of Bill Doggett's "Honky Tonk," with a scattered piano line — is any indication, Rosco meant to take advantage. Of course, being Rosco Gordon, he couldn't help but subvert his cause by making it the B-side of one of the most bizarre novelty records ever, "Cheese and Crackers." Nobody could figure out what to make of that one, in which Rosco professes in no uncertain terms his dislike for said cuisine. But the stubborn Gordon liked the song so much he re-recorded it in 2002 for No Dark In America, the posthumous album that came out early in 2005.
Some would doubtless describe this second volume as Rosco trying on different styles, scrambling for a hit. But it might be more accurate to say it's Rosco taking advantage of his versatility and hoping it would lead to a hit. The man covered considerable stylistic ground without abandoning his own basic sound, and Phillips cut… read more »
