Casualties of Cool

Straight 8s | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 9, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rock Roll Purgatory
• ASIN: B0001AW0MK
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #609,506 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So infectious and driving, July 4, 2004

By 

J. Wood "Retrospective Magazine" (NYC, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Casualties of Cool (Audio CD)

I love a band that knows how to start a record. "Train Wreck" is so infectious and driving you can't tear your ears away, burning down the speedway to a soft, melodic finish that belies the true charm of this fantastic record. Tracing a clear lineage to Gene and Eddie, this North Carolina trio delivers 106 octane rockabilly so clean it doesn't need a catalytic converter, so sweet you'd swear it was runnin' on maple syrup.

The tunes are simple, accessible, sing-along rockers that engage the listener from start to finish. Guitarist Robert Striegler delivers vocals that are crisp and heartfelt, carefully parceling the archetypal rasping and hiccupping that too often detract from the music. Instead he lets his hollow-body Gretsch do the talking, whether the language is the Dick Dale surf of "Ann Bowman", the train-rhythm chirping of "Gypsy", or the avant-psychobilly reverb of "Mean Go Getter".

Bassist Pat McGraw slaps and plucks a solid foundation throughout, often sneaking into the spotlight for breaks, runs, and arpeggios worthy of a second, third, and hundredth listens. His work on "Gypsy" really delivers the juice; call him the Edelbrock carbs of this straight-8 combo.

The chassis holding it all together is drummer Bernie Fox, playing understated shuffle beats and 4-square rhythm that perfectly accent the sweet and saucy tunes. His tick-tock work on "Texas Time" is indicative of his skill, keeping the beat and filling the breaks with equal aplomb.

The entire collection of original compositions is so consistently excellent it's impossible to pick a favorite; every listen catches a different mood, offering greater appreciation of the diversity and authenticity of each song. So whether you're feeling like a "Rockabilly Zombie", chasing a "Hot Rod Queen", or bemoaning your "Hard Knocks", this record is right for you.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rockabilly In All It's Glory, April 29, 2004

By 

Amy Lee (Atlantic City, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Casualties of Cool (Audio CD)

Rockabilly at it's finest. Energetic, moving, foot-stomping and fun. The Straight 8s manage to gather the finest rockabilly sound with a slight honky-tonk feel. Add a few seemingly mellow numbers that pick up and get you out of your seat, and you get a winner all-around. Great bass-slapping, a few wild man holler refrains, and an overall great sound. Very few bands manage to lay down on a recording the feeling you get at a live show, but the Straight 8s have nailed it.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars These guys are the bee's friggin' knees!, October 22, 2005

By 

Andy Valente "Andy Valente" (NC, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Casualties of Cool (Audio CD)

These guys not only know how to put out great rockabilly records, but also know how to deliver all of the different variations of what was going on in it's heyday. They've got your revved up, swingin' tunes, as well as all of the slow-dancing ballads. That's not all, either. These guys are dynamite playing live shows. They never stop! And, at the end, they play a great rendition of "Rebel Rouser", and halfway through, the whole band exchanges-and solos- on each other's instruments. If you're a rockabilly rambler who's lost in time, when you hear this record or see them live, you'll believe you're not lost at all.