Wa-Chic-Ka-Nocka
is yet another installment in
Buffalo Bop
's long line of collections that compile obscure, usually independent-label
rockabilly
and
rock & roll
recordings of the '50s mastered directly from original 45s. The theme this time is music about Native Americans, or "Indians," as the era dictated. The songs are filled with ridiculous stereotypes and sometimes cringe-inducing insensitivity, but were recorded in the spirit of fun rather than hostility, for what that's worth. The package is interesting in that it shows the influence of Hollywood Westerns, television, and Western comic books on popular music, and also the unselfconsciousness and ease with which songwriters could tap into this particular formula. And it is definitely a formula -- tom tom drums and war whoops are nearly ubiquitous, and there is a certain guitar riff that gets recycled endlessly. A number of
instrumentals
with thematically appropriate titles are included, as well as a couple of
R&B
numbers.
is one of the strongest, if most politically incorrect, packages released by
in terms of novelty and historical value. ~ Greg Adams