Royal Crown Revue- Mugzy's Move

This is Royal Crown Revue's second album, which was released 1996.

Hey Pachuco! starts off as a great opening song. The jungle-drums as per Sing Sing Sing are always a hit with me. However, in this song, I somehow find them to work best to build the tension which gets resolved when the smooth walking bassline arrives. Therefore I find the rest of the song drawn out, due to the return of the opening section.

Bebop isn't really my cup of tea. So songs like Mugzy's Move and Park's Place don't appeal to me. This probably also explains why I find songs like Datin' With No Dough, Topsy and The Rise and Fall of the Great Mondello to be disjointed and lacking flow.

It might also explain why I find the audio quality to give an impression of sparseness, lacking any power or immersion. I understand this style often goes with the turf for bebop.

I Love the Life I Live is a nice cruisy song, despite Sinatra-esque jazz not normally being my cup of tea. The big exception is the cover of Bobby Darrin's Beyond the Sea. This song is an absolute classic, so simple yet can be its appeal never tires. And Royal Crown Revue's version here captures such magic.

The Walkin' Blues is a great little rhythm and blues. It's a bit of an oddball inclusion for this album, but I'm not complaining!

Taking Sing Sing Sing!!! and adding cranking it up even further with some electric guitar is a brilliant idea. And these sections of Barflies at the Beach work a treat. But returning to the my lack of appreciation for bebop again, I find the rest of the song to be more of a medly than a cohesive song.

Last but not least, Zip Gun Bop. The verses are pretty forgettable, so the song relies heavily on the guitar riff, horn line and chorus. Which are all outstanding, and deliver enjoyment in spades. This is one of the trademark songs of the neo-swing genre, and rightly so. Timeless.

Favourite songs

Zip Gun Bop, The Walkin' Blues, Beyond the Sea

Worthwhile?

Zip Gun Bop single-handedly makes this a must-have album for me. The rest of the album is a mixed bag, but there are a few other enjoyable songs.

Richard Cheese- Sunny Side of the Moon

Since 2000, Richard Cheese has been producing comedy/jazz albums. This mid-career Best Of was released in 2006.

Like for Weird Al Yankovic's albums, I find that the choice of original song plays a big part in whether I enjoy the parody. So, even if the adaptions of songs like Rape Me, Baby Got Back, Bust a Move and Freak on a Leash are brilliantly executed, I struggle to enjoy even these versions. Although, at the other end of the spectrum, the original version of Creep is unfortunately too sacred for me to enjoy the parody.

That's the bad news out of the way, because the concept of mixing lounge-jazz with shocking rap/metal/grunge lyrics is a masterstroke in my book. People Equals Shit is a perfect example; the gutter profanity becomes very amusing when mixed with the gentle lounge-jazz music.

Closer and Nookie differ slightly in that they use a boogie-woogie musical style, and it works just as well.

At this point, it seems there is a very simple formula to success for Richard Cheese. This is to find the song with the sickest lyrics possible, then put it to saccharine backing music. So while Sunday Bloody Sunday and Another Brick in the Wall are solid efforts and bring nice variety to the album, for me their lack of immature amusement means they're relegated to album fillers.

My earlier comment about Creep is a bit hypocritical, given my reaction to Rock the Casbah. The original is a song I enjoy so much, that almost any half-decent cover of it is enjoyable for me.

Also quite uncontroversial (relatively speaking!) are the lyrics to Hot For Teacher. Despite this, I really enjoy this version, as it replicates the fantastic sense of chaotic energy from the original song, with a nice twist of the different style.

At the other end of the intensity scale, the slower tempo of Come Out and Play  allows the original's clever lyrics time to be properly appreciated. Very nice.

Building up from an anonymous and innocent jazz start is another trick well used. For example, Down With the Sickness and Gin and Juice could well be any other lounge jazz songs, until he starts dropping f-bombs and hoes left, right and centre. This is probably the only time in jazz history we'll hear lyrics such as:
So we gonna smoke a ounce to this. 
G's up, hoes down,
While you motherf***ers bounce to this.
The arrangement gives the songs some lasting appeal, as they build up nicely and have good structure. Another highlight for me is the nice use of plastic strings for Gin and Juice.

All of the above is cranked up to the extreme for Badd. The extensively reworked lyrics allow it to start relatively innocently, before it builds-up into a hilariously degraded climax of X-rated mahem. Fantastic!

PS I forgot to mention the recording quality... it's brilliant.

Favourite songs

People Equals Shit, Closer, Down with the Sickness, Nookie, Rock the Casbah, Hot For Teacher, Gin and Juice, Come Out and Play, Badd

Worthwhile?

So silly. So fun.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy- How Big Can You Get

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (BBVD) recorded an album of mainly Cab Calloway covers. It was released in 2009, five years after the album "Everything You Want For Christmas".

Come On With The Come On kicks things off with brilliant and energetic big band swing. Thankfully, this musical excellence is enough for me to not worry about the very inane lyrics.

Similarly, the boogie-woogie goodness of Calloway Boogie is a treat. However, I'm not a fan of self-indulgent lyrics with nothing more thoughtful than to say than "our music is great". But the fantastic groove, beautiful horn arrangements and general big-band perfection more than makes up for this.

On the other hand, Hey Now Hey Now doesn't have much of musical interest to me, so the lyrics stand out like a sore thumb. The Call of the Jitterbug and The Jumpin' Jive also don't appeal to me, but this is just because I'm not a fan of this style.

Regarding the recording quality, I appreciate it is more an art than a science, with no "correct" answer... However this album's recording - which somehow achieves remarkable power, clarity and character at the same time - is simply perfect. I don't say that lightly and all of the very ordinary recordings of big bands that I've heard over the years makes this achievement even more incredible.

How Big Can You Get relies heavily on the main melody, since it's used for both the chorus vocals and the main horn line. But when the melody is this catchy and enjoyable, there is no complaint about this at all!

The combination of tickity-tack vaudeville and powerful, syrupy big-band horn sections works a treat for The Old Man on the Mountain. The nice little story is also enjoyable, making this my favourite song of the album.

On paper, Reefer Man and Tarzan of Harlem tick all the right boxes. Yet nether of them appeals to me, and I have no idea why.

The Ghost of Smokey Joe is a re-hash of Minnie the Moocher which, in my opinion, doesn't bring enough new to the table to be worthwhile. It also features some very awkward composition at times. As per BBVD's live album, their version of the original Minnie the Moocher is absolutely fantastic.

Favourite songs

Come On With The Come On, Calloway Boogie, How Big Can You Get, The Old Man on the Mountain, Minnie the Moocher

Worthwhile?

While there is much to be enjoyed with this album, when I am in the mood for BBVD, inevitably I will reach for their live album instead. Which is a bit of a shame, because there are some great songs on How Big Can You Get.

Frankie Wants Out- Prohibition

This the debut album from the Australian neo-swing band. It was released in 2009, a couple of years after their debut, I think.

Previously, this post was a self-important and overly harsh criticism of the album, comparing it unfavourably with their live shows. It also cared not for all the challenges of an indy band releasing a full-length album, nor that mixing a horn section into a rock band is no easy task. Sorry.

In the years since, I have increasingly appreciated this album on its own merits (along with having the ground-breaking revelation that a CD can't match a great live gig for excitement). So, these days I am very thankful that this album exists, and do enjoy listening to it.

Here are some highlights from the original post:

Happily, When High Rollers Get Low is when it all comes together. Here, the band shines with an infectious neo-swing groove backing a well-told tale of underworld debaunchery.

Fever Dream also shines, thanks to the contrast between the softly introspective verses and an absolutely smoking hot chorus. The swirling horns, loping rhythm section and passionate vocals make for a wonderfully wicked experience.

Favourite songs

Music Prohibition, Capone's Valentine, When High Rollers Get Low, Swing Kittens Meow, There's More Than One Way, Fever Dreams, Snowbird, Michael Makes the Money

The Dresden Dolls- self titled

This is the 2003 debut album from the "dark cabaret" band, which was formed in 2001.

Good Day quickly establishes the style for the album, and personally I'm a big fan of the semi-chaotic mix of drums, piano and howling vocals. While most of the time the lyrics are a tale of heartbreak, I find it optimistic in that it's often about channelling the pain into a motivating energy. For example, the cute reference to Gloria Gaynor hit with the line "I'd like to do more than survive, I'd like to rub it in your face". Unfortunately, the song drags out a bit at the end though.

The whispered sections of Missed Me are fantastic, as is the simple melody. However, again, the song drags out and the wailing gets grating after a while.

Girl Anachronism and Coin Operated Boy no longer hold any appeal for me. Not due to the songs themselves, but just that they've been played to death over the years. Oh, and the distortion effect on the vocals is annoying. The singer injects fantastic emotion and energy into the lyrics, why on earth would anyone want to distort that??

Speaking of sound quality, the album has huge variation between the quiet and loud sections. When listening on the train, this is a pain in the arse! But the trade-off is more than worth it, when you are able to listen in a nice quiet room, the contrast is fantastic. Perhaps for this reason, I wasn't really getting into this album while listening to it on my mp3 player. But then it came to life brilliantly when I sat down and listened properly on a decent stereo.

Half Jack is where it all comes together, and the result is brilliant. Personal highlights are the "uh huh" lyric melodies, the build-up throughout the song and the headbanging goodness of the chorus. Similarly, The Perfect Fit works a treat. The concept of a tradesman who "fixes" broken hearts, in the same way a plumber fixes pipes, as discussed by the lyrics, is an interesting idea! Also, I really dig the sneaky reference to The Doors' "Hello, I Love You", and the huge finale is a brilliant highlight which ties the song together nicely.

Gravity is the perfect example of piano-rock. The effect is both characterful and enveloping, like Ben Folds at his best. Great stuff.

The Jeep Song is pure dark-cabaret-pop genius. "Toorak tractors" are a pet peeve of mine, so I can easily imagine associating heartbreak the sight of one of these overweight, fashion-conscious SUVs. So it's perfectly described by:
I guess it's just my stupid luck, 
That all of Boston drives the same black fucking truck
Every element of this song is fantastic- bouncy verses, seamless flow, nice subtle variety in the backing, a multitude of catchy hooks, great climax. And nicely biting lyrics.

Due to their position in the album, Slide and Truce usually get overlooked for me. Not that there's anything really wrong with them, but I prefer not to return to the downhearted mood. The pick-me-up fun of The Jeep Song is the perfect note to end on.

Favourite songs

Half Jack, Gravity, The Perfect Fit, The Jeep Song

Worthwhile?

Yep. This CD has a special role as my go-to album for wallowing in self-pity! Just like Ground Components, it somehow makes a bad mood an enjoyable experience...

The Pietasters- Willis

Released in 1997, this is The Pietasters' third album. It is the predecessor to Awesome Mix Tape #6.

Crazy Monkey Woman kicks things off with a bang. Raucus and chaotic, it isn't so much a song, as a bold opening statement. While the horn lines don't really stand out, I really dig the rawness of the delivery, and that they perfectly complement the song. The standout feature, though, is the gravelly lyrics, delivered with lashings of venom.

Fat Sack takes the fury of Crazy Monkey Woman, cranks up the tempo and adds a touch more oi-punk. The result is stupid... Stupidly fun. A great song for moshpit slamming.

On the other hand, Out All Night is every bit as smooth as, say, Buck-O-Nine's "My Town". A gentle running bassline, catchy horn line, nice singalong chorus; it's all the same ingredients. Rather than matching saccharine lyrics, though, Out All Night's are wonderfully dark and nonsensical. Refer to Exhibit A: "when you cry it smells like soup"! It is this obscurity and edginess that makes the song a favourite for me.

Ocean's cruise-ship style (is that even a thing?!) injects some nice variety into the album, although it's not a particularly memorable song for me in its own right.

Recording quality? Best give that treble knob a twist anti-clockwise, my friend. I don't often consider albums to be sibilant, but this one is just too much. Once tempered so, it's highly enjoyable, with a punchy yet characterful sound.

Soul and punk-rock sounds like a strange combination, but it works a treat for Stone Feeling. All the glitter and showy brass makes the of the lyrics arrogance even better. Very "in your face", in a good way. However, the ending is very strange indeed.

This approach is also successfully used on the cover of Time Won't Let Me, although I do find its chorus to be a bit of a letdown somehow.

Higher is pretty much a generic reggae song. However, it is well executed, and The Pietaster's trademark gravelly lyrics makes it enjoyable for me.

Yet another genre thrown into the pot is calypso, for Without You. And, again, the result is brilliant. Wonderfully ironic lyrics, a catchy beat and great horn lines make this a great song I reckon.

The drum beat and bassline of Crime is brilliantly infectious. It's so good that even as the song fades out, you just wish it could go on forever. The lyrics treat the listener to the unique and slightly disturbed perspective, which is a hell of a journey. Like Camus' "The Stranger", the slight madness makes for beautiful poetry and is a brilliant reminder that "unconventional" emotions are no less legitimate. By the way, I'm condoning mothers filming suicides (the first line of the lyrics). On a less philosophical note, the horns fit perfectly (avoiding sounding too "happy"), the tortured hammond organ sound is superb, and the bells make a nice touch. This is an all-time favourite song of mine.

Bitter also uses the soul/punk-rock mix to good effect. In particular, the subdued verses work nicely to further amplifies the already huge chorus. And the xylophone is great touch!

The cover of New Breed is too stop-start for my liking. Moment finishes things off with a nice vintage ska sound.

Favourite songs

Crazy Monkey Woman, Out All Night, Fat Sack, Stone Feeling, Without You, Crime, Bitter

Worthwhile?

100%. Over the course of this album, we've jumped all over the place, including a unique mix of ska, punk-rock and soul in various proportions. But the gravelly vocals have been a constant delight, and the variety of styles are all brilliantly executed.

The Vaudevillains- Welcome to the Neighbourhood

This is the first and only album from The Vaudevillains. It was released in 2009, two years after their debut EP.

Thankfully, in that time, they learnt how to end a song properly! Actually, the opening track (Neighbourhood) is the exception. It has some good moments and establishes the mood nicely, but drags out badly towards the end. And the bridge is very strange indeed.

The recording quality is typical sub-par rockabilly fare. It features woofly and double-bass, and a guitar sound robs the big choruses of their power. Technically, the vocalist struggles a bit, however I really enjoy the lyrics, especially to sing along to. Perhaps the reason is that both of us can't sing very well!

Hector Hell introduces a new style of rockabilly ballads for the band. Based around lyrics which tell a brilliant tale, the style is much like a modern day Johnny Cash. And the power chorus works a treat. The rather simple backing music is the perfect accompaniment- setting the mood of driving through a lonely road in the moonlit mangroves.

Similarly, Shadow in the Sun (no relation to the Audioslave song) is another brilliant piece of Johnny Cash-esque storytelling. This song is on high rotation in my car, and it's an all-time favourite singalong song of mine. The appeal for me is how the bouncy rockabilly, contrasts nicely by the dark tale of a lonesome soul.

Things jump up a few gears with Million Miles Away. This psychobilly thrash is bursting with frenetic energy. The verses are itching to explode, and boy does the chorus explode!

Close Your Eyes is a song that I really dig, but I don't know why. On the surface, it's fairly generic, so perhaps its just that it has been executed so well. A highlight for me is the double-bass playing, which is incredibly intricate. The subtle flourishes of the instruments in the background are great, as is the wailing singalong chorus.

Dead March features a great riff for the verses, but somehow it doesn't "sit" right. It kinda feels like the instruments wants a slower tempo, but the vocals are forcing them to rush. The chorus, though, comes together very nicely.

This Time Last Year and Reaper are nicely hyperactive thrashes, as per Million Miles Away.

Trip to the Moon is pretty much unchanged from their EP. But I don't feel ripped off in the slightest, it means I get to enjoy this wonderful song twice as often!

The jazz track Fortune is an oddball inclusion. But it is a nice ballad, and rounds out the album well.

Maybe this is a sign that I listen to too much rockabilly(!), but to me this album has very unique appeal. The poetry is fantastic and, well, I'm just a sucker for almost all things rockabilly!

Speaking of poetry, since the lyrics for Shadow in the Sun are nowhere to be found on the internet, I thought I'd do a community service by documenting them here:
I dodge my shadows in the night.
I live my life like it's a fight.
Well I don't mean to be cold,
But I rather be alone now than dead.

I watch my words when I talk,
Look over my shoulder when I walk.
Well I'm always ready, 
But I don't know what for.

Everyone's got a shadow in the sun.
Might as well face it, cos it's you that cannot run.
It's what you are, not what you will become.

Sometimes I know I can be wrong
Nothin' in life really going on.
Well maybe I don't want to climb too high,
Cos I know that I might fall.

Failure is my greatest fear.
I hear it whisper in my ear.
Well lately I've been feeling
My whole world's really unfair.

Favourite songs

Hector Hell, Shadow in the Sun, Million Miles Away, Close Your Eyes, This Time Last Year, Trip to the Moon, Reaper, Fortune

Worthwhile?

This is one of my all-time favourite albums.

Radiohead- OK Computer

This is the highly acclaimed third studio from Radiohead. It was released in 1997, two years after The Bends.

In my book, Airbag is a poor opening track. I'm not a fan of the style, as it feels like aimlessly wandering. However, this style is probably the only common theme on this very varied album, so it is probably an appropriate way to set the scene.

The next song is the modern equivalent of Bohemian Rhapsody... which can only mean Paranoid Android. Both songs are pretty much a bunch of great songs rolled into one, with a lot of variation in style throughout the song. Also, the lyrics are genius- very deep and obscure yet also super catchy.

The brilliance of Paranoid Android isn't just that each section is wonderfully enjoyable, its that somehow the diverse sections have been stitched together in a perfectly coherent fashion. While I enjoy every minute of the song, if I had to pick a favourite section, it would be the "rain down" section, and how it flows into the headbanging rock riff afterwards. Due to all the hype, it's easy to blase about this song, but it really is brilliant. It is utter nonsense, yet at the same time it is perfect:
That's it, sir
You're leaving.
The crackle of pigskin.
The dust and the screaming.
The yuppies networking.
The panic, the vomit.
The panic, the vomit.
God loves his children,
God loves his children,
Yeah.

Subterranean Homesick Alien features a nice gentle soundscape, which I enjoy. However, the chorus for me is a big letdown. It is a similar story for Lucky, the gentler moments with the intense prog-rock mood work a treat. In particular, I really like the cicada-esque sound in the background background. But the pained chorus doesn't really work for me.

The recording quality here is an interesting issue. Given the style, it doesn't really matter. Which is a good thing, as the quality is quite patchy- the reverb effects are often overdone, the bass is often boomy and the drums sometimes get lost in the mix. On the plus side, the top end is nicely crisp.

Exit Music (for a film) has a simple and wonderful haunting beauty.

Karma Police is the perfect musical form of a 1984-type story. It hits the nail on the head as a post-grunge pop song with bite. While Fitter Happier isn't actually a song, I still really dig the build-up to the twist at the end!

At the point when Electioneering comes in, things are all quite serious and heavy. So this mindless headbanging song is much appreciated here. The jangly garage rock style (with cowbell!) is great fun.

No Surprises sounds like a major influence for early Muse. I really like the instrumental side of the song, but the vocal delivery kinda grates with me somehow.

Favourite songs

Paranoid Android, Exit Music (For a Film), Karma Police, Fitter Happier, Electioneering, Lucky

Worthwhile?

Paranoid Android single-handedly makes this album worthwhile for me. Unfortunately I don't really "get" the rest of the album; many people would say it is a masterpiece, in which case it is wasted on my dumbed-down ska/rockabilly tastes...