Search - Doug Kershaw :: Crazy Cajun Recordings

I Want Doug Kershaw, Not DOUG SAHM!

Audio Obscurica | Spectrum of Sound | 04/24/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Doug Kershaw has been involved with many prominent characters in the music industry. From J.D. Miller to Roy Acuff, from Johnny Cash to Buddy Kileen, perhaps it was inevitable he'd fall in with Huey Meaux, the "Crazy Cajun" himself. It seems almost a rite of passage for up and coming Louisiana musicians to make this mistake.

What this CD represents, apparently, is a bunch of recordings of unknown date/personnel (or anything for that matter), that Doug was supposed to have made for Meaux. So, what's here?

This CD includes a bunch of Doug Sahm covers. Sir Douglas Quintet was associated with Meaux, if you didn't know. But I want to hear Doug Kershaw, I don't want to hear Doug Kershaw doing Doug Sahm. "Real Ole Cajun Me", a cover of Sahm's "Texas Me" is one of the most painful offerings here. Also included are tracks supposedly from "Rusty & Doug" that might have been from the 60's, with some of the worst quality I've seen, unwarranted, on a commercial release.

Some of what's here isn't even Doug. Two Cajun tracks, titled "Mama and Papa Waltz", and the really elaborately titled "Slow Cajun Waltz" have nothing to do with the man. These may be recordings by his oldest brother Ed, but we may never know. What I do know is, no Doug here.

Exactly why these recordings were made is up for question. The 60's-sounding tracks aren't half bad, some of them are early versions of tunes Doug would record later, and some over-and-over. But the quality is poor. They sound like they've been dubbed from worn out records, or tapes played back with a mis-aligned head. Some are covers of old Doug & Rusty tunes, like "Hey Mae" with a pseudo-dance backing. Many of the other recordings seem to date from between the time Doug was dropped by Warners and picked up by CBS, and it sounds worse than the kind of records that bar bands push in the merch sales after shows...

As the notes state, a Lomax was involved with this product. 'Nuff said.

It's a total waste of time and money. Not worth a cent of what they're charging for it."

One of the finest albums doug has ever done!!!!

Audio Obscurica | 03/31/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Doug Kershaw has truely displayed his full range of talent on this one. I now have a new "favorite" in my Kershaw Collection."