Brian Setzer — Rockabilly Riot, Volume 1: A Tribute To Sun Records

Reviewed by morganphillips

The coolest cat on the block is back with a gorgeous tribute to the songs of one of his favorite record producers. On the insert of the album, Setzer writes "I've played this music for classical musicians down to teenagers who have only heard the pop they are being spoon-fed on the radio, and they all come back with the same reply... 'Damn! This is great music!'"

And it is that. Setzer makes a great first impression with the loud and swinging "Red Hot," which manages to get you dancing and show you the quality of the sound that he'll be using over the course of the album. I defy you to keep from tapping your toes or swinging your hips during "Flatfoot Sam" or "Peroxide Blonde In A Hopped Up Model Ford." Not only do the songs sound terrific, but the production quality is brilliant. By using only vintage equipment (and an ancient water cistern to create a "canned echo"), Setzer has not only resurrected the songs themselves, but the way they sounded as well.

It appears that Brian Setzer's goal in life is to show the rest of the world what it's missing out on. From the rockabilly strut of The Stray Cats to the grandiose swing of The Brian Setzer Orchestra, the contribution he has given to the world of music cannot be overstated. We should all be so lucky to think the way Setzer does. In the mind of Brian Setzer the world still swings; the sun's shining; and there are no pimps or hos (just cats and dames).