Tav Falco's Panther Burns "The World We Knew" 1987 + "Shake Rag" 12" EP 1986 - 2015

Pass the hatchet! For folks who prize unspoiled simplicity in rock'n'roll (and especially in rockabilly), Tav Falco's Panther Burns may be the ultimate band. On the early records, his voice drenched in echo, Falco goes through a familiar repertoire of Presley-derived whoops, mutters and coos, while an amateurish backing ensemble that often includes Alex Chilton grinds away laboriously like high-school rockers struggling through their first rehearsal.

Chilton's revitalized production and playing on The World We Knew helps make it one of Falco's all-time best showings. Using a rotating collection of sidemen, the carefully annotated songs — a scholarly combination of R&B, Sun rockabilly, blues and other wondrous musical inventions ("desert skulk fugue; decorticated cycle tune; the Stuttgart, Arkansas sound," to quote the liner notes) — get a thorough and affectionate workout that remains surehanded without ever slipping down off the rustic funk meter. (There are no originals on this non-didactic history course.) All concerned sound as though they're having a blast, and that feeling comes right through the speakers. [Jon Young / Terry Rompers / Art Black]

Panther Burns:
Tav Falco: voice, guitar / George Reinecke (also of Busted Flush): guitar / Ross Johnson: drums, tap drums / Rene Coman (also of The Iguanas/New Orleans): bass / LX Chilton: vocals, bass, guitar, marracas, cymbal / Jim Spake: saxophone / Ron Easley (aka Durand Mysterion; also of the Country Rockers): guitar / Roy Brewer: violin / Lisa McGaughran (aka Lisa Burnette on one compilation; also of The Hellcats/Memphis): backing vocals / Lorette Velvette (real name: Lori Greene; also of The Hellcats/Memphis and The Kropotkins): backing vocals
produced by LX Chilton

trax:
1. Dateless Night 2. Do the Robot 3. It's All Your Fault 4. Pass the Hatchet 5. She's My Witch 6. World We Knew 7. Drop Your Mask 8. Mona Lisa 9. She's a Bad Motorcycle 10. Doubtful of Your Love 11. Ditch Digging 12. Big Road Blues 13 A Little Mixed Up. 14 Viola Lee Blues

"Shake Rag" 12" EP 1986

trax:

15 Cuban Rebel Girl 16 Warrior Sam 17 Shade Tree Mechanic 18 Jumper on the Line