Outrageous Libel: Reviews from our Members



Reviews from J.W:

Arthur Lyman
Hawaiian Sunset
RykoDisc, 1996

What can I say? This is a damn good album. Done got 'dem good Hawaiian grooves. I'm listening to this as I write, so I should know. On the other hand, it could be my speakers. If you're one of those punks who runs all their frequencies through their subs, you may not like this. You may also not want to get this if you haven't picked up the latest copy of CarStereo magazine, and you're still using the Bose 243s with digitized sub-woofers. And, if you're still using the standard wave reduction tuners that were part of last months NewStereo demo, you just won't get the true feel of this album. Unfortunately, if you are one of the people who have committed one of the pre-mentioned offenses, it looks as though you'll hear a big sucking sound as you move into the low ends

+ + + + + + +

Aces, Twos, and Fews
Various Artists
Escadrille Records, 1996

Oh man, this is a tough one. See its hard for me to be objective as I have two friends in one of the bands on this 11 band CD. Now, you figure that most ska bands have 7 members, and 7*11=77. Now, 2 is about 3 0r 4% of 77, so I'll have to figure that into my review. Now I was going to give this 7 cocktail glasses, but now I don't know. What's your opinion? Readers, Hello!? I don't know, and I don't have a calculator handy. Hmm well, uh, okay. Good swing ska.

+ + + + + + 1/2


P.S. My editors want me to talk substance about this CD. Well OKAY. The socialites have a song the fruit loops are So Glad She's Gone. Seven Foot Politic are the next best thing, the crab on this is ska king, and the gobbletones swing.
Man... Or Astroman
Deluxe Men in Space
Touch and Go Records

Remember that kid in science class, in third grade? Remember he was always in the back of the class, singing about neurons to the tune of John Coltrane. Yes, I know, everyone has had one of them in their class. Man......Or Astroman are a band comprised of all those kids. Damn, he was just so annoying. Well, this six song CD is a mix of surf, and songs about carbon a really good song is called U-Uranus.

+ + + + + + + +

Outer Space Shit!!!
Tédio-Boys
Elevator records

If you like Portuguese Psycho-Billy which is reminiscent of the Cramps and Screamin' Jay Hawkins, you're gonna like this disc. On the other hand, if you like bands who sing about having their head catch on fire, and looking for some blood this will appeal to you. While most -billy bands are singing about meaningless crap (Soda Jerks, Hot Rods, Etc), the Tédio-Boys are playing in the true spirit of the music. Instead of pretending that they live in the fifties, and are looking to rumble, this band, in the spirit of Screamin' Jay Hawkins are yelling about what ever subject they can think of. As Screamin' Jay would sing about "Tomato pickin' onion juice," the Tédio Boys are singing about aliens and Space invaders. Excellent.

+ + + + + + + + +

Organs in Orbit--Ultra Lounge 11
Various Artists
Capitol Records

Volume 11 of Capitol records' Ultra Lounge set is exquisite "Organs in Orbit," which features some of the most exotic, sensual, and lush organ music in the world. The musicians on this album range from Martin Denny, whose Song of the Bayou is supplied with the classic Bird Calls, to Shay Torrent, who uses the instrument as one of Bluegrass, one his frenetic flying fiddles. The music on this disc runs the gamut between Mambo, as is seen with an ORGANic version of Perez Prado's Patricia to Bona fide easy listening as is heard with John Buzon's Ill wind. Whatever your tastes are, if you like organs, there'll be more than enough on this CD for you

+ + + + + + + +



Reviews from M.P:

New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble
Low Blow
Moon Records, 1997

A good follow-up to the band's 1995 debut, NYSJE gives you 14 more songs of swinging traditional ska. This album definitely has its highs and lows. The best songs on the album are Teardrops From my Eyes (sung by Caz of the Checkered Cabs), Nasty By Nature, Walkin', Gene Ammons, and Blow Wind Blow. I was a little disappointed by the slowed down version of Mr. Pitiful, sung by Steve Pietaster, but that's just because I had really high hopes for it. The two jazz standards the band covers on the album (Cannonball Adderly's Jive Samba and Coltrane's Naima ) didn't particularly lend themselves to ska, although the musicians' abilities did help to make them somewhat enjoyable. Overall, my only real criticism for the album is that it got repetitious at times, but it definitely swings, and is worth picking up if you are a traditional ska fan.

+ + + + + + +

Royal Crown Revue
Mugzy's Move
Warner Brothers, 1996

A great album of neo-big band gangster swing music from the self acclaimed "Kings of Gangster Bop." This CD is everything a good swing CD is and isn't. There are no boring slow songs or cheesy arrangements of pop songs, just 100% pure swing. The best songs on the album are the title song, Park's Place, Datin' With No Dough, and a great cover of Bobby Daron's Beyond the Sea.
The only problem with this album (besides one or two semi-weak songs), is that the gangster thing gets old after while. Anyone who likes swing-ska or the big band music of the 30s and 40s, would love the Royal Crown Revue, although close-minded traditional jazz fans might want to keep their distance.

+ + + + + + + +

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