Wether it's with the Ranch Girls, Mary Ann's solo act or the Ragtime Wranglers on their own, this bunch of guys and girl has conquered the world with their mix of hillbilly harmonies, rockabilly and early country (when this word still meant something).
This album is a celebration of the band's first 15 years and gathers songs from most of their releases. I can hear you say: "Great! a best-of, but we already own the albums". Sure, but there's more than one reason to buy this cd.
First it comes in a deluxe digipack in DVD format, beautifully designed with lots of photos inside. I see I grabbed your attention. Then you have a couple of tunes from not so easy to find 7" (Kaw-Liga, Flying Saucer Boogie...) which should be enough to convince you, but you also have unissued live demos (Hi De Ank Tum), outtakes from their second album (My Adobe Hacienda, Rock A Bye Baby), two live songs recorded on the Radio that makes you regret they didn't release a live album too (Sweet Thing and If You Don't Somebody Else Will), and icing on the cake six tracks entirely remixed , giving them a fuller and a better sound.
At the end, this cd is far more than just a best-of, it's almost a brand new album, sure to gain them new fans and please old ones like me, who, 15 years ago fell in love with the sound of the Ranch Girls and the Ragtime Wranglers and never stopped digging them since.
Fred "Virgil" Turgis

This is the second solo album from Miss Mary Ann also known as one half of the famous Ranch Girls from Netherland. And like the Ranch Girls she's backed by the Ragtime Wranglers. But the comparison with her other outfit stops here. If the Ranch Girls' repertory is made upon harmonies, duets and western swing/hillbilly, Miss Mary Ann goes for a more rockin' sound. And the opening track leaves no doubt about that. You're going to rock and bop 'til the end of night and guest Carl Sonny Leyland on piano will help you to loose some weight on the dance floor. "I Got Stung" and "I'll be your slave" (man, what a program) are in the same vein while "Tell Me Who" brings a little swing. To slow down the pace and let us take our breath there's some honky tonk and country tunes to the mix : Faron Young's "Forget About The Past" features the steel-guitar wizard himself, none other than Jeremy Wakefield and so does George Jones's Dont Stop The Music. Her interpretation of Marty Robbins' "I Cant Quit" where she seems both desperate and resigned is simply superb. I've always thought nobody could top Robbins on that, but right now I have serious doubts. And the smooth instrumentation of the Ragtime Wranglers reinforces that feeling. This cd is not only a pleasure for your ears, it has been beautifully designed by Mighty Sam and comes in a superb digipack.
Fred "Virgil" Turgis

This is the second all instrumental album for Miss Mary Ann’s backing band, the Ragtime Wranglers, and if you’re too lazy to read the full review here’s what you need to know: it’s a killer!
It opens with the surf tinged “Harissa”, an ode to this North African sauce with sax. I couldn’t help but think it would make a fantastic double-sider with Los Straitjackets’ “Casbah”. With the intro played on the tom-tom, “Firewater Stomp” carries an Indian mood (a bit like Kaw-Liga) and features the one and only Jeremy Wakefield on steel guitar. Next is “Thunder Reef”, the sole cover of the album (from the pen of Bobby Fuller): a solid rocking and surfing number with great drums break. “Red Rod Race” is a rockabilly track that comes complete with car sounds and would have made Bob Keane, boss of Del-Fi, happy. Pictures of desert, setting sun and such other things come to mind while listening to “Sin City Serenade”, a cool atmospheric tune with accordion and muted Mexican trumpet. “Resaca” (hangover in Spanish) has a kind of film noir groove with a Latin beat and a superb tenor saxophone part. And don’t forget Miss Mary-Ann contribution on vocals. If Tarantino doesn’t pick this one for his next movie he’s a dumbass. “The Sky’s Gone Out” is simply perfect or perfect in its simplicity with just the acoustic guitar, a double bass and a mandolin. More Latin fever with “Amor Perdido” which is a mix of twang guitar and mariachi trumpet. How could you resist? Mojo Bag Bop is a rockin’ blues that’ll remind you of John Lee Hooker’s Boogie Chillun with a rockabilly beat. If good, The Mexican Standoff is not very original. More interesting is “Drivin’ All Night” that makes good use of the reverb. “Lullaby For Louis” follows. It’s a gentle waltz that sees the return of the accordion in the background. They couldn’t have done it nice, Louis is a lucky baby. Wakefield returns on “Buck’n’Rich”, a tribute to Buck Owens and Don Rich ‘and incidentally a tribute to the good old Fender Telecaster). “The Chicken Room” sounds like Link Wray (Run Chicken Run) meets the Ventures. “Smoke ‘em Out” closes the album with Joe Sixpack in full Larry Collins/Joe Maphis mode (don’t forget they’ve backed the Collins Kids many times) duelling with Jeroen Jongsma on mandolin.
Icing on the cake, this album comes in a beautifully designed digipack. Pleasure for the ears, beauty for the eyes.
Fred "Virgil" Turgis

Do we still need to present the Ragtime Wranglers, this Dutch band who foams the world stages since the beginning of the Nineties with the Ranch Girls and Miss Mary Ann but also backing some of the genuine rockabilly stars (Curtis Gordon, Hardrock Gunter, Sid and Billy King, the Collins Kids, Larry Donn, Marvin Rainwater, Frankie Miller and Jack Earls) and more recent artists (like Sage Guyton and Jeremy Wakefield of Lucky Stars). However this “Groove a Tune” is their first album as a “real” band if one does not take account of two instrumentals “The Rocking Gypsy” and " Road Stop " published on a Ranch Girls’ EP in 1995. That 14 instumentals album (in LP or Cd) is an additional demonstration of the combo skills lead by the always phlegmatic Jelle Van Atten - more known under the nickname of Joe Sixpack - (guitar, steel-guitar) with Sietse on drums and percussions and Huey Moor on the double bass.
I can hear you thinking for yourselves: “a whole album of only instrumental ones! what a wound!” But you’re wrong, that doesn’t have anything unpleasing when it is played with as much talent and sincerity. The three rogues helped of some guests take you along for a musical journey through their tastes -comparable with those which Biller and Wakefield organize-with some covers but also a majority of self-penned ones, moreover Jeremy W. is invited on two tracks! Flavors and colours are multiple but always of good quality. There will be of course some country and western with references to Joe’s great inspirers as Jimmy Bryant (“Low Man One A Totempole” which opens the album) Merle Travis (his “Blue Smoke”) and Joe Maphis (“Town Hall Shuffle”). There‘s bluegrass (“Homebrew Hooch” with the mandoline of Joroen Jongsma who belongs to several folk formations like “Valleys Dish” “The Watchman”, “The Very Girls”) and stroll as “Groovesville” in an “exotica” style with the atmospheric steel of JW and “Get My Bread”. The rockabilly sounds are also part of the album (“Groover' S Bop”) and even surfing music (“I Can’t Stand It” with organ) and some powerful rock 'n' rollers as “The Manhunt” which walks on the Link Wray side and “Guydid” reminds me of Cochran). It wouldn’t be complete without some sun of the Caribbean with the swaying “West Indies Groove”. But there are some more for you to discover…believe me, the trip is worth paying!!!
Long Tall