Lookie, lookie—this here’s a real cookie. While the early 1980s spawned such musical atrocities as Ratt, Milli Vanilli and Bananarama, it was also an era that produced several great “retro roots” bands, including Los Lobos, the Blasters, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Rockpile, Stevie Ray Vaughan and the LeRoi Brothers. It was also a period when the Rounder, Alligator and Black Top labels were mining the music of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Amidst this period of great music, Boston’s Barrence Whitfield and the Savages unexpectedly appeared, and this reissue of their first vinyl LP is hands down one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll albums of the 1980s. This CD still sounds like it’s really a recording session with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ grandson singing with Lee Allen on sax, and the Stray Cats, after a week-long binge of Red Bulls.

Like all great rock ‘n’ roll records, most of these songs max out at around two minutes, so the original 13-track LP was quite short. The CD version has been embellished by 10 outtakes, live tracks and rehearsal tapes. Of the previously issued tracks, most are obscure covers and are played at a torrid tempo. Whitfield screams, shouts and testifies through the likes of “Bip Bop Bip,” “Miss Shake It,” “Walkin’ With Barrence” “Mama Get the Hammer” and the ridiculous “Georgia Slop.” Of the originals, “Whiskey Wagon,” “Savage Sax” and “Walk Out” border on sheer insanity.

There are several unexpected treats among the unissued tracks, including a ballad, “These Arms of Mine,” and several tracks with ties to these parts. There’s a rough stab at Hop Wilson’s “Rockin’ in the Coconut Top,” a live Smiley Lewis medley that’s to die for, and our own John Swenson wrote the informative liner notes. This one’s not for the faint hearted. But if you want to be savaged, Barrence Whitfield is the ticket.