Stray Cats

Red Tunic Troll

posted on Tue, 20 May 2008 11:51:04

Uninspired 1986 roots/rockabilly reunion

After the incendiary rockabilly revival of the Stray Cats’ U.S. debut (1982’s Built for Speed, compiled from two earlier UK albums) their follow-up (1983’s Rant ‘n’ Rave) spun off a couple of hits, but found the new wave already tiring of retro rock. By 1984, guitarist Brian Setzer was touring with Robert Plant’s Honeydrippers, and the band’s rhythm section had released an album with guitarist Earl Slick. Two years further on the trio regrouped in Hollywood at Capitol’s legendary Studio A to wax this reunion LP. The result captured little of their earlier works’ swagger, but separated from the hysteria of MTV’s early years, the trio was freed to explore a broader range of influences and material.

After writing all original material for Rant ‘n’ Rave the band returned to their earlier practice of mixing in covers, selecting titles previously recorded by Johnny Burnette, Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry and Charlie Feathers. But even with these legendary rockers in their pockets, the Stray Cats didn’t sound as forcedly retro in 1986 as they had three years earlier. It’s still three-piece rock ‘n’ roll, but the flashiness of their breakthrough works was toned down and replaced by a deeper focus on roots. Guitar slinger Brian Setzer even picks a banjo for his Western-themed “Broken Man.”

Mostly recorded live, the band was still surprisingly tight, given the two year layoff. But their cohesiveness as a group didn’t add up to new inspiration. The covers were interesting picks, but the originals didn’t have the hooks that made the group’s earlier albums so memorable. Setzer showed off his considerable talent on guitar, the rhythm section was solid, but the performances rarely ignite. Gene Vincent’s “Race with the Devil” sounds more like a stroll, and Lee & Rocker’s “I Wanna Cry” weds the worst of ballsy mid-80s rock to the group’s retro instrumentation. Better is the chugging train rhythm of the group’s “I’m a Rocker” and Setzer’s vocal on Charlie Feathers’ “One Hand Loose.” Those looking for a disc full of the group’s sizzling rockabilly sides are better off with their first two LPs. [©2008 redtunictroll at hotmail dot com]