Recorded from radio broadcasts on KXLA in Pasadena, California in 1953 (there are also a couple of tunes from a television program from that year), the fidelity on these isn't so hot. That's understandable; they were recorded by a teenager using early-'50s technology, after all, with no eye for professional release. As was already demonstrated by other radio performance collections of the groups on Arhoolie,
the Maddoxes
had a large repertoire and enjoyed using their radio time to cover everything from novelties to boogies to spirituals to classics like
"Mule Skinner Blues"
and "Silent Night, Holy Night." Their exuberance is unfailing, though as the sound is lo-fi and the presentation riddled with corny jokes and short skits from the band members, it's not a suitable introduction to their significant body of music. That observation, and the low rating assigned to the album, should not be taken to mean it's not a worthwhile release for
Maddox Brothers
fans. The performances are good, there's much historical interest in hearing the band in a live-ish setting, and with 74 minutes of material (including, minus the skits, about 30 songs), it's decent value for the money. ~ Richie Unterberger