Customer Reviews

The Best of Stray Cats

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This is an excellent cd to introduce yourself to one of America's greatest "undiscovered" rock and roll bands. The Stray Cats blend 1950s roots rock, rockabilly, garage rock, and a bit of old fashioned romanticism into a powerful, unique sound. Lead singer Brian Setzer writes songs that would make Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, and the like proud. The songs are mostly positive, even when they are dealing with the eternal teen problems such as no money, no car, no girl. It is refresing to hear a someone singing about the everyday ups and downs without whining. Life is taken the way it should be-with a dose of humor. The Stray Cats music is high energy, tight, clean, foot stompin', toe tappin', good old rock and roll. Every so often the band will settle down and cover ballads and a bit of jazz-blues-rock. They do a great job with them as well. Their music has an enthusiasm that must be heard to describe. This cd will cost you less than a lunch. Get crusin'. Enjoy some wide open highway for dessert.

Somehow it wasn't all that cool to listen to the Stray Cats when they were popular in the early 80's. Now there is a renaissance of appreciation for them due to Brian Setzer's resurgence as a swing band leader. In many respects the Stray Cats are superior to anything Brian has done as a solo act. He wasn't as accomplished or as slick vocally, but his raw guitar playing was better showcased in this trio.

Most of their songs were highly derivative, but they have worn well and sound as good as they did 20 years ago. This is a fine introduction to their music and encompasses all of their great songs.

Truth be known, there's a few better "Stray Cats" collections around. But, even though this is only 10 tracks, it does have what's essential. Included is "Rock This Town", "Stray Cat Strut", and "(She's) Sexy + 17", probably their three biggest hits. The other seven on here are all good though, and possibly recognizable even to the casual fan. This is great for the price, but if you need more, check out "Greatest Hits", or the lengthy "Runaway Boys: '81-'92".

Stop wasting your time and buy this record (or any stray cats record)! The cats at their best (and they're back in 2004!).

If you love these guys as much as i do, you owe it to yourself to pick up the "Swing Cats" CD. A repository of ex-Stray Cats' Slim Jim Phantom & Lee Rocker plus ex-members of the Polecats, the Swing Cats continue the Stray Cats conventions while covering artists as diverse as Carl Perkins, Hank Williams Sr. ("Mind Your Own Business") and Benny Goodman, with vocals supplied by an array of guests. Quite Good!

GREAT GUITAR TUNES.(THANX TO BRIAN) IT WILL TAKE YOU BACK TO 50'S

This album brims with angst and troublemaker from a less violent day. Fist fights versus guns. Racing cars instead of a drive by. Hip, pop, rock, and a voice all rolled into one band. It gets my listen every now and again, but it's got so much energy, that I get tired of it after a while. It'd be better as a "best of" album if it had some slower stuff mixed in to balance it out.