Customer Reviews

Damas Y Caballeros Los Straitjackets

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Excellent live cd by the best surf instrumentalists playing today. This album really cooks from beginning to end. The band is blessed with two great guitar players in Danny Amis, from the legendary New York band the Raybeats. And the very impressive Eddie Angel, who does double duty with the excellent roots rock band the Planet Rockers. Two musicians with many years playing experience, and it shows on this live set. The entire band is so entertaining to see live. Drummer Jimmy Lester is hilarious with his Spanish banter he does between each song. Also the stage antics of bass player Pete Curry, a very talented musician, songwriter himself, who used to lead the excellent Calif. surf band the Halibuts. For already converted Straitjacket fans, there are several songs here that have never appeared on any of their previous albums. Two Link Wray songs: "BRANDED", and a fantastic version of "RAWHIDE" which ends the album. "SQUAD CAR", a hot rod tune that Eddie and the Showmen did in the early 60's. "DRIVING GUITARS" which is an old Ventures tune. "LAST DATE" an instrumental by country legend Floyd Cramer. Great version! And what live surf set would be complete without the instrumental standard by Farina and Farina called "SLEEPWALK". My favorites though, are the songs they do from their first album "The Utterly Fantastic And Totally Unbelievable Sound of Los Straitjackets". This album is a surf classic that was produced by the one and only Ben Vaughn. Every surf fan should have this one. Songs included off this are "TAILSPIN", a killer version of "ITCHY CHICKEN", and my alltime favorite Jacket tune "LYNXTAIL", a cool tune that is a combination of Duane Eddy and Link Wray, with a few neat blues licks thrown in for good measure by Eddie Angel. Another favorite here is "MY HEART WILL GO ON" (LOVE THEME FROM THE TITANIC). Yeah, that's right, the Titanic theme. The way it's done here though, they make it sound like it should have been a surf song all along. It's stuff like this that really seperate this band from all the surf band pretenders out there. Live surf albums don't come along very often. And as it goes, this is the best one I've ever heard. This is a must-have for any fan of tasty surf music, and it comes highly recommended. Catch the wave and hang ten with the masked ones. You'll be glad you did.

I'm sold. After having this album a week, I still can't believe what a great band these guys are! This is my first Los Straitjackets purchase. (I'm a "Pulp Fiction" surf convert. Up to this point, I've been listening to Rock Instrumental Classics Vol. 5 (Surf,) Best of the Ventures, Best of Dick Dale, Beyond the Beach compilation, Teisco Del Rey, Laika and the Cosmonauts, Best of Challengers, Astronauts. Listed roughly in order of preference.) These guys really get with it! Their transfer of energy, humour, and talent have made this an incredibly enjoyable album. They sound like they really enjoy themselves while playing, and listening to their guitar work is inspiring. Some of their blazing guitar work sounds Chuck Berry-esque. Blew me away...now I understand why people are recommending these guys as THE BEST contemporary Surf band. This sets a new standard for my surf band tastes. They proved with their covers of the classics, such as "Sleepwalk" and "Driving Guitars," that they can hold their own when compared against any of the classic '60's surf bands I've heard and enjoyed so far, but I thought they really shined doing their own high-energy material. (I started to list their tracks I liked, but found that there were no tracks I didn't like....) I will say, however, that you haven't lived until you experience "Itchy Chicken!"
I believe we'll be hearing bands in the future doing covers of Los Straitjackets songs, which will have become "classics." With that said, the other bands better have it together, because these songs won't be easy to do with equal quality. Every guitar player won't be able to duplicate Eddie Angel and Danny Amis' smoking licks. (But Dick Dale, perhaps there's some new material here for you...)
I will be buying the rest of the Los Straitjackets albums now, no question. I'm only wondering: How did I survive this long without them....?!!!

I've been exercising to this and it's a blast...if "Itchy Chicken" doesn't make you pedal faster, nothing will ! These instrumentals, with few exceptions, are fast paced, fun, and make a terrific CD for workouts, or any activity that could use some extra energy from this exuberant surf music.

The intros, in a rapid-fire Spanish, are hilarious, and the musicianship is superb...the sound of this live performance is also amazing...kudos to Mark Linett, who recorded, mixed, and mastered it.

Favorites include (as the intro says..."ahorrrita...una canción misteriosa") "Casbah", a wonderful version of Louis Prima's "Sing Sing Sing", and best of all, "Tailspin". It's worth the price of admission for this track alone...the virtuoso guitar work in it is spectacular.

This CD is extremely entertaining...so let these cool masked ones give you some of their own special brand of good time music !

Los Straitjackets are the most consistently exciting neo-surf band around, and proof that true rock n'roll isn't dead. They wear Mexican wrestling masks, compose most of their own music, and manage to respect surf music tradition while throttling the daylights out of their instruments! This is very tough, very cool music without any of the intellectual baggage associated with other bare knuckles styles of music.

'Damas Y Caballeros' capture Los Straitjackets live and in their element. Much like the Ventures did in the 1960s, Los Straitjackets always record quickly and directly with a minimum of studio fuss. So, while this live CD lacks a bit of the sheen of a studio CD, even Los Straitjackets' studio CDs are amazingly direct and no-frills by current production standards. As you'd expect from a concert CD, this is basically a live recording of 'Los Straitjacket's Greatest Hits.'

If you only buy one Los Straitjackets CD, make it this one. But you *will* want more. Trust me.

I had heard of, but never heard Los Straitjackets before last Saturday when I caught them live at the Zoo Bar in Lincoln. What an amazing show! Sure there's the gimmicky Mexican wrestling masks, choreographed moves and scantilly clad dancing girls. But the gimmicks wouldn't mean a thing if the band couldn't play the hell out of their instruments. This Duane Eddy, Dick Dale, Ventures-inspired band prooves that surf music is still alive and well. Whether they're covering instrumental chestnuts like "Sleepwalk" and "Rawhide," putting their own spin on pop hits like "My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme from Titanic)" or performing originals like the crowd-pleaser "Itchy Chicken," these guys are amazing. This live 60-minute-plus CD is the next best thing to being there. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

This CD is an excellent example of a Los Straitjackets live show. This is the best CD released by Los Straitjackets to date in my opinion. I have had the opportunity to see Los Straitjackets perform in person twice. Both times in shows with The Ventures, who have sold more albums than any rock instrumental group ever. Los Straitjackets are as good. This CD really captures the atomosphere of a live concert and is a must for any instrumental rock guitar group fan.

I got into Los Straitjackets not too long ago and now I can't get enough. This is another great cd. Even if you own all their studio albums this one is well worth it. Enough variety, covers, and different arrangements to keep you entertained from start to finish. It doesn't hurt that almost all my personal favorites are played.

These guys are a must buy for any guitar player out there.

If there is a better surf/instro group in existence, I'd like to know where... These live performances are very true to the studio versions, which themselves are all very, very clean. Most of the songs are the normal Amis/Angel works, but their choice of covers is intriguing -- 'Sleepwalk' is a must-have. My favorite tune is 'Itchy Chicken.' It starts with the emcee explaining (in affected Spanish, my guess) "... es una favorita de los Straightjackets... se llama... ITCHY CHICKEN!" That intro has me laughing until Eddie Angel's guitar snaps me out of it. This song, along with 'Outta Gear' and 'Kawanga,' cause reviewers to use words like "blistering" and "unleashed" and conjur visions of the boys icing down their guitars between songs. As with the studio versions, the up-tempo songs seem to have been written and played by wild animals. Check out Jimmy Lesters's drumming on 'Outta Gear'; it reminds me either of Keith Moon at his most maniacal, or somebody trying to kill scorpions with drumsticks. Absolutely classic. They can slow it down better than anyone, too. 'My Heart Will Go On' is a perfect counterpoint to the raucous stuff, and my wife likes it enough where she doesn't groan when I pop the Strait ones into the car CD player. Until she remembers that tune is on the CD, all I hear is "Don't put that one in! You know you can't drive slower than 80 with that darn CD in the stereo!" I guess that sums it up nicely.

I highly recommend this CD if you're into surf rock, modern or classic, or you're starting out getting into surf rock. They're able to maintain alot of the old sound while incoorperating the new. The songs run from fast paced surf guitar songs to a few mellow kick back ones. Forget 5 stars it deserves 10!

Imagine all the concert-goers leaving their comfy seats for a workout on the dance floor! How could they do otherwise?

This CD was a real treat! Did you ever eat a new dish and think "I've been waiting all my life for this particular flavor?" That's how my 1st listen felt. I'd been craving this particular surfer music and didn't know it! The boldness, the fancy guitar work, the exuberance, the humor, the virtuosity! Seriously, take a break from whatever is bothering you this week; spend a little time with Damas y Caballeros!