CD Reviews: July 1998
Archived
Voodoo Glow Skulls
The Band Geek Mafia
Epitaph Records
The Casillas Brothers do it again! Ska or punk. Ska or punk?! The horns rock my world—it’s nice to see some talent behind all the ska hype. Percussion. Ska has such a ranchero style feel to it, it’s nice to hear some of it en Español. It’s fun. Mad, but still fun. Still angst-ridden.
It’s nice that they’re brothers. Somehow that enhances things. This album kind of leaves you exhausted, but isn’t that the point? I guess these guys are doing well in South America. That’s something to think about. “Stranded in the Jungle” is worth buying the whole album, even if you hate the rest.
The Styrenes
We Care, so You Don’t Have To
Scat Records
Cool. Very old school—whatever that means to you. It’s damn cool, though. Sooo old, hipster and “cowboy.” The songs are stories, and that’s rare these days. There’s some damn cool shit happening here. The tracks “Hour of the Gun” and “Westies” almost knocked me out. Talk about purity. Chill-giving purity. It’s kind of like Lynyrd Skynyrd with a HUGE twist. This is serious shit. It will make you laugh if you don’t understand, and you sure as hell won’t hear it on pop-radio. I’m damn impressed.
FIST
Transcendence
I thought this stuff died in the early ‘90s. I guess they’re really worked up about this album, but the guy sounds like the Queensryche singer. That’s what ruined it for me. Suck.
The Specials
Guilty ’till Proved Innocent
MCA Records
Is bad grammar back in style? This is a fun album. The singing is good, and I must say that I am partial to bands in which the singers can actually do their jobs. It’s rather “popular-music esque” at times, but with a certain uniqueness to it. It’s dancy, and reminds me of being in New Orleans. A few songs seem to repeat themselves several times on the album, but it’s nice touch. If you’re into that whole ska scene, have a party.
Kilgore Smudge
A Search for Reason
Revolution Records
Rage Against The Machine, only his voice is even more annoying. Oh well, you can still slam to it, and that’s always fun. Lots of screaming. If you like modern, five-chord thrasher stuff, go here. I mean, there are songs called “Lullaby for your Casket,” Drop the Hammer,” and “X.” Need I say more?
Esthero
Breath from Another
Samples used in truly creative, musical music are NICE. Rather trendy girl-voice, but done so well that the voice’s lack of uniqueness doesn’t really matter. Very nice beats—they have a unique sound. Very “Feely,” mellow and sensual. It’s very good musically. Very very very. Really cool stuff. A little feeling is always welcome, and there’s even a touch of funk here and there. —Kim Nash
Question Mark? And The Mysterians
Do You Feel It Baby?
Norton Records
The Summer Of ’98. The Summer of Oldies Festivals. What with Mary Wilson claiming to front The Supremes (Where, pray tell, were Florence and Diana?), Stu Cook claiming John Fogerty’s songs as his own and actually releasing an album covering cover songs (CCR was never wholly original.) under the name Creedence Clearwater Revisited and Steve Miller taking the “Space Cowboy Tour” on the road one year short of the song’s 30th anniversary. A new album from Question Mark and the Mysterians is no surprise. Based on the original band direction it isn’t any surprise that oldies festivals aren’t claiming them. The band has disbanded and reformed on at least three occasions. It is the original band. Bobby Balderrama joined in 1966 shortly after 96 Tears was released. The recording comes from an October 1997 appearance and a January 1998 appearance. To state it bluntly, the live show is probably only slightly less energetic, slowed down and polished up from the ’66 version. They only had two hits anyway and they only released two albums. Basically it’s live versions of album material. The “hits,” “I Need Somebody” and “96 Tears” compete for attention against salacious renditions of “Make You Mine,” “Girl (You Captivate Me),” “Don’t Tease Me” and “Love Me Baby (Cherry July).” Lyrics feature wild twists. For example, “you captivate me” becomes “you masturbate me.” The Farfisa and the fuzz are present. Question Mark’s voice has lost nothing. He may be a lecher at the age of 58, but I’d rather see this lecher and his band, or Link Wray, or Dick Dale than Steve Miller, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot or any stupid “oldies” festival. The CD is an interesting artifact if nothing else. —Infidel
The Brian Setzer Orchestra
The Dirty Boogie
Interscope Records
I believe Mr. Setzer has listened to some modern stuff of late. His new album features a title song that has more than a passing Reverend Horton Heat influence. Is that Jimbo slapping the bass? It certainly isn’t Lee Rocker and Setzer adopts the Reverend’s vocal style. “This Old House” was written by Stuart Hamblin and I remember his version better than the Rosemary Clooney reference from the press kit. Shakin’ Stevens most famously covered it back in the ‘80s. Don’t worry, Steven’s version isn’t some silly ‘80s compilation “they” ship by the box lot into Utah. Setzer does the song complete justice, and it’s time to mention the call and response backing vocalists. Eddie Nichols is one of them. Eddie who? Goddamn it! What the fuck is wrong with you swing kids? Eddie’s the Royal Crown Revue singer, and his girlfriend is Ruth Wilson, formerly of Flathead. This shit didn’t start yesterday, you know, and Flathead recorded some as unreleased material with current members of Atomic Deluxe. Back to Setzer. He and his orchestra do a nice job with Santo and Johnny’s “Sleepwalk.” The big band treatment works splendidly, and after all these years Setzer shows more guitar depth than an old Budweiser commercial. His arrangements aren’t bad either. Next up? “Jump, Jive” is Louis Prima. Next up? Hopefully Gwen Stefani is hinting at a new No Doubt direction when she does a lounge-swing duet with Setzer for “You’re The Boss.” No one can ever say that “Rock This Town” was a bad song. Setzer dusts off the cobwebs, adds horns and an electric bass for the update. This version sounds even better than the original, and if it’s a hit all over again I might just shit myself. I’ll also be sick and tired of it after about two weeks of constant airplay on “Modern Rock Radio.” “Since I don’t Have You” is Setzer feeling sentimental, he covers Leiber and Stoller (“Nosey Joe”) and Bobby Darin (“As Long As I’m Singing”) and of course “Hollywood Nocturne” draws on “Harlem Nocturne.” The lounge treatment Setzer and band is give is justifiably mellow. Setzer’s first two big band efforts were a bit flawed, good but flawed. With The Dirty Boogie he’s finally accomplished something. He merged rockabilly electric guitar with a big band (17 pieces), and it is working. The album has the perfect mix of raw with overproduction. If it doesn’t sell, I’m hanging up my spectators. If it does, as previously mentioned, I’ll hate it next month. That is elitism. —Dude Man
Dino Martinis
The Bottle Collector’s Lounge
What the hell is this? Why… I do believe it’s one of those trendy new swing bands… except I can’t find the covers. Well, there is one and a public domain song, but where the hell are Ellington, Calloway, Jordan and Turner? What is swing without covering Duke, Cab, Louis or Big Joe? Is it Prima? And what is up with the boogie woogie piano cat? New Orleans is the city famous for “When The Saints Go Marching In” and jazz invention. Take the piano/keyboard/organ, some rockabilly guitar, add a female singer, a hot plucker/slapper on bass, a drummer and one horn. One horn? You can’t play swing without at least five or six horns… can you? Very few big bands exist today, and what you are Lindy Hoppin’ to is actually small band swing and jump blues. That means ‘40s not ‘30s. I “jumped” on the Internet to research zoot suits because I’m “modern”, and I’d rather spend 4 hours on the “net” than spend 15 minutes with a set of encyclopedias. Encyclopedias?
These Canucks get busy with the jump, and since most of this music is played in lounges Nicole Brennan (female Dino Martinis vocalist), along with the band, ventures forth to the “California smoker’s patio” before hitting the ‘60s with a Booker T. instrumental. Does anyone get the connection yet? Booker T and the MGs? Steve Cropper? The first Blues Brothers movie? Cab Calloway singing “Minnie the Moocher”? Come on. You kiddies saw the video long before Swingers. Next thing you know the Dino Martinis pull a Robert Gordon and name check their inspirations. Louis is indeed still the king, but the “Sing Sing Sing” reverence of “King Louis” sounds more like Jordan than Prima to me. But then again Brennan is female and Keely Smith never sang with Jordan. The update is fully presented with the ”shit-eating-grin” lyrics and fat guitar break of “Kick You out the Door.” “Shit-eating-grin” was unacceptable in the ‘40s, and “cats and chicks” became white slang in the ‘50s—that takes care of “Might As Well Be Me.” Please remember that the band is from Canada. In Utah, it’s all about “big beat” in trendy circles. The keyboard vibraphone imitation “Esquire Lounge” presents is more acid-lounge-jazz than jump and jive. The Dino Martinis take all forms of hipster music and place them in a ‘90s Betty Furness television advertisement. Yeah it’s a little stupid in places, but the range still cooks inspite of uneven heating elements. These cats and a kitten even take a trip the previously referenced New Orleans. The tune is “BBQ.” As if all of that weren’t enough the final song, “Churchin’ Up,” is San Francisco from about ‘69. Hippie all the way. —Shopping Cart Man
Getaway Cruiser
550 Music
Well isn’t this a guilty pleasure? I’m surprised Getaway Cruiser isn’t all over MTV and corporate radio by now. The elements are in place. A female chanteuse named Dina Harrison fronts the group. There are samples layered upon samples and fer heck sakes, there is hip hop. Pras guests and the Butcher Brothers produced. The band features two brothers. Chris Peters plays guitar, harmonica, turntables and etc. Drew Peters plays guitar, Tascam 488, accordion, mellotron, piano and sings back-up. Dan Carrol is on drums and Mark Dundon plays bass. Live musicians, technology and hip hop — what else is there? Harrison has a studied delivery that is part sensuous, part mysterious and part…machine-like and emotionless. This tactic works to instantaneous advantage. The first seconds of the opener, “I’m Fine (I Find),” capture any listener. Commonly when these tactics are employed the disc either fades off into mediocrity and/or the candy becomes boring with repetition. The disc becomes yet another in the forgotten ’90s mass. The ruse can’t hold up. All the hip hop and breakbeats in the world can’t survive a throwaway music culture. I listened five times and the disc hadn’t worn thin. Harrison’s robotic emotion is certainly a factor but two items loom larger. The accordion and harmonica appear and shake off the drone. The song “Grow ing Out” is only one example. The day is saved by acoustic instruments. Harrison writes most of the lyrics and they are captivating glimpses into a female perspective on love and loss. Again? Overall the disc is hypnotic, lush, pretty and catchy as can be. Listen for Getaway Cruiser on the radio. They will be there. Meanwhile find a Getaway Cruiser sticker immediately. John Hobbs designed the logo and he combined the car with the girl. —ZAG
Indigo Swing
All Aboard
Time Bomb Recordings
Just like the lemming that I am I have recently discovered swing music. I bought Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s third, the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies sixth and Royal Crown Revue’s second CDs and learned the difference between East Coast and West Coast. I took a swing lesson and learned to do aerials almost as if I’d been raised in Harlem and thought that the Lindy Hop was invented in Los Angeles. I came to believe that the small band jump of the ‘40s was actually the big band swing of the ’30s. Next thing I knew Time Bomb sent an advance of Indigo Swing’s new album for free. Since this is the fourth swing disc I’ve ever listened to I’ll do my best to critique Indigo Swing. I’ve never listened to their 1996 debut, I swear on a stack of SLUG back issues that I haven’t.
Indigo Swing’s attraction was always the smooth. The band had the smoothest vocals, the smoothest horns and the piano touch. I’m sorry to burst the bubble, but the music presented on All Aboard is not swing.
Mike Perkins
Pop Rock From Texas
Whoppy Cat
Mike Perkins sent his CD all the way from Houston, Texas. He claims to be a music creator for 15 years. He claims to feature a former Berkley student on bass and guitar. What happens to all the Berkley students anyway? In the case of Gaston Rabou he hooked up with this J. Mike Perkins fellow. Mr. Rabou backs Mr. Perkins and a drummer named Steve Candelari. If the world manages to survive past the year 2002 and V. Vale writes an Incredibly Strange Music Volume 3 look for J. Mike Perkins in the pages. Perkins begins his press release with a Marshall Crenshaw quote. “There’s a sort of casual atmosphere to the tracks that I like and it’s tuneful.” Is that a recommendation? Perkins has a reedy voice and his lyrics are simply simple. “I wish I could turn off my feelings… I wish I could turn off my dreaming, sometimes… because the truth can be hard, sometimes.” There’s a song titles “She Talks A lot (But Says Nothing),” which is apparently about a neighbor whose voice comes through the wall. A song about a mindless jabbering female neighbor is “clever” according to Perkins. “I don’t know why I love you like I do, but I wish I knew, I wish I knew.” Of course the song is “I Wish I Knew.””Death Of A Porn Queen” concerns the life and death of porn star Shauna Grant and Perkins knows her real name. He knows she was on the cover of Hustler, he claims she was one of the prettiest of all and he says that she lives on at the video rental store. His press materials say that the song is “dark humour.” I’d say obsession is more like it. Rabou is kicked back and clean. Every now and then he’ll step out and lay down a brilliant solo as if he were Glen Frey or Mark Knopfler. Pop Rock From Texas is more singer/ songwriter vanity pressing than “pop rock.” The disc is nearly the weirdest thing I’ve ever discovered at SLUG headquarters. The mix places Perkins first and foremost and as he sings his eerie songs the band lays down some pleasing jams. It’s like the two don’t belong together. It’s like an instrumental album and a solo singer album were combined in a studio and released as one. Strange, very strange. —Panduffy
Jimmie Vaughan
Out There
Epic
“With his astonishingly accomplished guitar playing Stevie Ray Vaughan ignited the blues revival of the ‘80s. Vaughan drew equally from bluesmen like Albert King, Otis Rush and Muddy Waters and rock ‘n’ roll players like Jimi Hendrix and Lonnie Mack, as well as the stray jazz guitarist like Kenny Burrell, developing a uniquely eclectic and fiery style that sounded like no other guitarist, regardless of genre.” That’s cool and all but who was Stevie Ray’s primary influence? Could it have been big brother Jimmie? The senior Vaughan doesn’t have the pyrotechnics. He has the tone Stevie Ray, if he’d lived, would have grown into. I apologize for mentioning Stevie Ray at all because new album doesn’t have much to do with Stevie. This album has the likes of Greg Piccalo (tenor sax), Mac Rebennack AKA Dr. John (piano) and Bill Willis (B-3). The recordings took place in New York, Memphis, Texas, New Orleans and Burband. It is a blues recording and not blues-rock.
The soul can’t be denied. The men involved in the sessions are legends of a hundred scenes, a hundred one-night stands, a thousand heartbreaks and although they can never claim the “black” blues experience they’ve played the blues all their lives. “Positively Meant To Be” is nearly the best example. B-3, sweet guitar and doo-wop vocals — Jimmie smoothes the vocals and plays sublime notes. Each of those notes has a thought behind it, for the flash look elsewhere. Down in Austin, at the SXSW music industry “conference” this man pretty much previewed the disc live. When Jack and Jill Jones next door pull out Jonny Lang or Kenny Wayne Shepherd at the neighborhood Bar-B-Que spit on the coals and retrieve real white-boy blues from your “comfort zone.” Make them listen to “Little Son, Big Son.” That tune is an instrumental and the Son in the name means something besides a “healthy” tan. —Squeem
Madame X
Estrus Records
Madame X has a new EP out for hep cat indulgence and swinger ignorance. In case the reader has never encountered a Madame X recording previously guidance is forthcoming. The EP features six pieces. Madame X is always smoothly sensual. “Love For Free” is all smooth and “Paris Adult World” is all sensual. Madame X features nine backing musicians. A three piece horn section, a solo guitar, a solo bass, a solo percussionist and an assortment of three trade off on piano or organ. The genre is lounge jazz with numerous spy, surf and swing allusions. “Daylight Lover” jumps while allowing a swaying the horn section kicks in while Madame X sits out. Call it a full blown, lounge swing instrumental. Madame X is familiar with exotica. “Mad Monster Party” visits a previous evening’s party exotically inquiring for a report. “Aged And Mellow Blues” is more Patsy Cline than Memphis Minnie. The entire band joins their Madame to close the dance. Lounge lizards, hipster daddy-o’s and swing kids can all find something to enjoy with Madame X. Spy movie, secret agent and exotica enthusiasts of all persuasions can bask as well. —Dude Man
Micro Mini
Get In the Go-Go
Cage Collective Fruit
First read the “thank you” list. Tree Snyder is there with Barbara Mitchell, a Young Fresh Fellow and the Model Rockets. How did Tree get into the Seattle list? Blah, blah, blah. Insider name dropping, but the Model Rockets and Young Fresh Fellow’s mention gives a hint. Micro Mini is a guitar pop band from Seattle. As SLUG has reported in the past, Seattle gave grunge to the world, Seattle gave the world Paul Revere & The Raiders, Seattle gave the world The Wailers and The Sonics. The world took Seattle, rubbed it in the mud and created Days of the New and Creed all the while proclaiming that grunge was dead. Grunge is dead. Seattle has guitar pop now. I guess Seattle always had guitar pop though. Micro Mini’s new disc has tons and tons of harmony vocals. Lance Paine is the primary vocalist and rhythm guitarist, but the harmony is female. These days when a band has two males and two females the males are usually relegated to background vocal duty. That’s just the way it is. When a female has the presence of mind to play lead guitar and sing background it is time to take notice. It appears that Amy Barnet is the female lead guitarist/harmony vocalist. Jennie Severn is the female bassist. The drummer is the male Nabil Ayers. Now we are getting someplace. The war between the sexes and the commercial viability of a female front person appear lost to Micro Mini. When the atmospherics of a rack of guitar peddles — most used by a female — are summed with pop sensibilities then an album results. Male/female harmonies, guitar prowess without the histrionics, a beat and a few songs. Get In A Go-Go Cage is certainly a relief and it is offered as proof that an underground does still exists and that Seattle hasn’t sunk into the mediocre ocean quite yet. When visiting other states listen for Micro Mini on the radio. —Jaded or Confused?
Red Aunts
Ghetto Blaster
Epitaph
E-Mail. Subj: Red Aunts Break Up. Date: Wed, Jun 10, 1998 10:39 EDT. From: Jeff@epitaph.com “After 7 years with virtually no support, we plan to go out as we came in — on fire, in a ball of flames, raging full force, oblivious to everyone else — thinking we are the best rock ‘n roll group on the planet. Our 5th record is the perfect document of everything we wanted and tried to be. One day — maybe — our music will be spoken of instead of our sex.” Allow me to begin with their sex. In modern times females rule the charts — females such as Paula Cole, Sarah McLachlan, Jewel, Brandy, Spice Girls, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Vonda Shepard. The ‘90s are the decade of women in rock, except for one thing. Women who actually do rock don’t get any attention. While the local and national press stumble all over each other in praise of Cole and even, for God’s sakes, Vonda Shepard little respect was paid to the Red Aunts. Even the Donnas, a group of four female trash rockers, had press. The press was not actually based on the music, the press was for the novelty side — four female teenagers playing like the Ramones. American Teenage Rock ‘N’ Roll Machine is pure bliss for those into the old school of punk. The Red Aunts have something better. Terri is on guitar and casio synthesizer, Kerry is on guitar and farfisa organ, Debi is on bass and wurlitzer organ and Lesley drums. Terri, Debi and Kerry all sing at one point or another and they are joined by several guests including two Dollrods. The keyboard action lends a helping hand to listeners fearing massive cerebral hemorrhage due to the incomprehensible shrieks, squawks, and feedback dementia. “Cookin’, Cleanin’ and Cryin’” is the final song. This particular composition brings a male backing chorus into a clearinghouse of influence ranging from ‘60s garage, through early industrial experiments and even, (Dare I write this?) musique concrete. The tune is an Aunts response to housebound suburbanites with Streisand destroyed hearing capacity. Feel the Aunts’ pain as they mourn your handicapped state. Once again it’s 12 songs in about 32 minutes and each and every one is a keeper due to the high creativity, surprising use of echo and an astonishing display of instrumental virtuosity. Who cares about gender? The Red Aunts say farewell with a tour. The band is in Las Vegas on July 15 and in Denver on July 17. Road trips are in order. —Dour
The Quadrajets
Pay The Deuce
Estrus
“When I talked with them over a beer after a recent concert, I was surprised to find they were big fans.” For the last several years the vast majority of music finding its way to SLUG Magazine includes a press release stating in five words or more that the band, unlike the radio, is playing rock ‘n’ roll. The all seeing creator picked a dandelion and blew the seeds across the world. In every town rock ‘n’ roll bands exist. Salt Lake City has the Unlucky Boys, the Swamp Donkeys, the Scrotum Poles, the Classic Assholes, Yer Highness, and others. I was researching “patriots” on the “net” and came across an abundance of material on “jack booted thugs.” The “jack booted thugs” control all media that is why rock ‘n’ roll isn’t on the radio anymore. The Quadrajets have a three guitar attack and that is the idea behind Ken Vandermark’s quote at the beginning. They aren’t big Utah Jazz fans. They are improvisers and car nuts. The idea is to transfer the energy of nitro fueled dragsters to rock ‘n roll. When the gasoline gargle of either The Cheetah, Jerome T. Jerome or Mr. Hardwick’s vocals are combined with Tim Kerr production, J.T. Sharp’s bass throbbing and K.T. Van-Zant’s primitive attempts at rhythmic drumming major rock ‘n roll results. When Jerome J. Jerome sings “she don’t need my love” and it sounds like “she don’t eat my love,” in “Get Yerself Something Nice,” which also features guitar feedback straight out of Blue Cheer’s riff bag and an uncredited harmonica gentleman stepping up to the mike, the blood pumps so hard that all cholesterol is cleansed form formerly blocked arteries. “Going Down” is another rod improvement exercise. It is important to note that music of such improvisational, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll nature is foreign to many entertainment industry employees. It is best to investigate shops owned, operated and staffed by independent thinkers when in search of Quadrajets material. When such material is discovered, jump around like a “Punkinheaded Motherfucker” and love the freedom. —Dude Man
Tilt
Collect ‘Em All
Fat Wreck Chords
Remember that old Salt Lake City band Deviance? They moved to Boston and changed the name to 3 ½ Girls before breaking up. Tilt’s Cinder Block reminds me of Deviance’s Sunshine. Sunshine simply sang Charlee Johnson’s lyrics. Cinder Block writes all of Tilt’s lyrics. Now allow me to move away from the Deviance reference. Deviance was trapped by the Misfits. Tilt plays thrash. The music isn’t anything new. There must be 10 million punk rock bands on the planet now. High speed and well played needs more to achieve. Block is the achiever. If I were some important critic I’d write something such as “Block’s voice lacks range and she is at best a mediocre singer spitting out her words as only a female with a semi-sore throat can.” Then I’d give the disc a B- or something. I can’t reveal the “critic” here because he scans the Internet searching for any mention of his name. The trick to Tilt is Block’s lack of range and her graphic lyrics. “Dear Wife” is a soldier’s letter home. An anti-war song on a punk rock record in 1998? “Watch him as his dim eyes roll back in his head/ See him struggling in his own filth to stand/ Irretrievable and overfed, he reaches out with desperate little hands.” The tune is “Partial Birth” and the rich white pig is the apparent subject. In his early period Frank Zappa used to sing a lot about “plastic people.” Block’s update is Collect ‘Em All. The analogy is humans as plastic action figures. The “man” must collect them all and a quick look at the state of society says he’s nearly succeeded. That is why punk continues forever and ever Amen. Tilt will appear at the Warped Tour; probably very early in the day. Arrive on time and start things off with a big huge pit and whatever items the morons decide to throw around this year. —Decker
Storyville
Dog Years
Atlantic
Now that Kenny Wayne Shepherd is some kind of guitar god, Storyville might have a bare chance of commercial success. This band has Steve Ray’s rhythm section, John Mellencamp’s guitarist and they have Malcolm. Kenny Wayne’s singer can’t touch Malcolm. Malcolm is a practicing Buddhist and an albino. Malcolm has more soul and power in his voice than an entire cut-out bin filled with blue-eyed soul. Bonnie Raitt’s guitarist Stephen Bruton produced the deal and what a deal it is. Raitt joins Shepherd in the “wish-I-could-do-that” line. “Who’s Left Standing,” the fourth song, leaves Page/Puff Daddy gasping for credibility. “Two People” is so funky that the Zephyr Club’s entire “funk” and “rock” calendars of the last four years have not matched Storyville’s October 9, 1994 appearance. Malcolm, on record at least, has mellowed some since the Bluest Eyes debut. I have little doubt that the live performance still captures all of his intensity. Dog Years is so gorgeous I nearly cried. —Elrod Hmm
Johnny Nocturne
Wild & Cool
Bullseye
“In 1989, saxophonist John Firmin formed a group to rekindle the power and grace of the four-horn frontline — ‘a little big band’ that could swing, bop and jump the blues and serve up a jazz melody as tasty as a martini. Grace and 1989 are the key words. I have nothing against a horn section. My problem is with overpowering horn sections. The quote reads power, not over-power. Brenda Boykin is the vocalist holding it all together. Another key is mentioned in the liner notes. This horn section is firmly locked in the “mellow West Coast harmony associated with the ‘Four Brothers’ edition of Woody Herman’s band.” The band swings hard and the band swing long all over Wild & Cool. Jump typically has a shouter, and Boykin can shout if the tune requires it, but the attraction is in the words mellow, harmony and grace. Since the roots are in jazz and blues, not ska, the laid-back nature of the recording will baffle those out ot skank and jitter-bug. High flyers can go with “Zoot Suit Riot” on MTV and the rest will find this finger-poppin’ music better for practicing the nuances and leaving the flash for the “fashion conscious.” Guitarists, pianists, horn cats and stand-up bass men/women can find much to both learn and enjoy in the pits of Wild & Cool. —Hair Farmer
Read more CD Reviews from the archives:
CD Reviews: June 1998
CD Reviews: May 1998
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