Music review: Stray Cats – 鈥�40鈥�
The same cat class and cat style featured on earlier releases by the Stray Cats can be witnessed on the trio鈥檚 first album of original material since 1992.
Aptly titled 鈥�40,鈥� the new release celebrates the band鈥檚 40th anniversary as guitarist and frontman Brian Setzer, bassist Lee Rocker and drummer Slim Jim Phantom reunite to deliver 12 tracks of rockabilly rowdiness straight out of the 1950s.
The claws come out and the fur is flying right from the start as 鈥淐at Fight (Over a Dog Like Me)鈥� opens the festivities with a retro flair and hints of classic artists such as Carl Perkins, Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran.
For those feeling a bit under the weather, 鈥淩ock It Off鈥� offers up a rousing rock 鈥榥鈥� roll prescription for what ails you with Setzer declaring, 鈥淭urn up that guitar/Slap that stand-up bass/Be sure to get them speakers/Right up in your face.鈥�
The instrumental 鈥淒esperado鈥� possesses the intrigue of the vintage spaghetti westerns, fitting in perfectly as part of the soundtrack for classic Clint Eastwood movies like 鈥淔istful of Dollars,鈥� 鈥淔or a Few Dollars More鈥� and 鈥淭he Good, the Bad and the Ugly.鈥�
Tracks such as 鈥淚鈥檝e Got Love if You Want It鈥� and 鈥淐ry Danger鈥� feature blazing guitar work that highlights Setzer鈥檚 enthusiastic vocals.
鈥淭hree Time鈥檚 a Charm鈥� is a toe-tapping tune that inspires flashbacks to the days when dancing up a storm at the local burger joint as the jukebox shakes the room was just a normal part of a teenager鈥檚 daily routine.
鈥淚 Attract Trouble鈥� and 鈥淚鈥檒l Be Looking Out for You鈥� are cool little numbers that give off a hint of adventure and danger that can be found on any given Saturday night.
鈥淒evil Train鈥� brings the spirited set to an ominous close as Phantom鈥檚 drumming keeps pace with Setzer鈥檚 gritty guitar riffs on a tale about not being afraid to take a walk on the wild side.
It鈥檚 certainly good to have these three cool cats back making new music and once again strutting their stuff as they rock the town with a confident swagger.