It's Time

Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 17, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Yep Roc Records
• ASIN: B00009MGP0
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,235 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Los Angeles-based Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys play roots music that calls to mind the days when country and western and rock & roll were but two sides of the same coin. They're unabashedly retro, right down to their vintage clothes and period instruments. They even recorded It's Time! on vintage equipment at Joey's Place, the former home of Hollywood's famed Electro Vox studio, where folks like the Maddox Brothers and Rose and Tex Ritter once laid down tracks. None of that would mean a thing, of course, if the music wasn't any good--and it is. Instrumentally, the Fly-Rite Boys are tight as a drum, but the big weapon remains Sandy's sweet croon of a voice, which evokes Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent, Johnny Burnette, Faron Young, and even Elvis, among others. He uses it to great effect throughout this delightful album, as on the bouncy "Chalk It Up to the Blues," the Cajun-flavored "Bayou Blue," the surf-tinged "Catalina," and the twangy "(You Mean) Too Much to Me." --David Hill

Time Out NY

What you get from this terrific roots-band are great songs played to perfection and sung with infectious glee.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars +1/2 -- Top-notch rockin', twangin', and shufflin', July 2, 2003

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: It's Time (Audio CD)

As with the best retro-inspired bands, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys have transcended their nostalgic roots. They're not just paying homage to the rockabilly and swing sounds of the '40 and '50s, they're making new ones rooted in those early rhythms. Their instruments and duds may be vintage, but their music retains the vitality of the music's original era.

After taking time outs for solo excursions (Sandy's brilliant doo-wop set, "Dedicated to You," and the band's high-octane instrumental album, "Big Sandy Presents His Fly-Rite Boys"), Sandy's reunion with the Fly-Rite's finds everyone recharged and ready to go. Joey Altruda's live-in-the-studio production (a week-and-a-half, start-to-finish!) neatly captures the band's interplay, from foot-stomping rockabilly to jazzy shuffles, with doghouse bass, surf inflections, and Cajun spices thrown in for good measure. This is one incredibly tight five-piece combo, augmented by the acoustics of Altruda's studio (formerly Hollywood's famed Electro Vox) and captured by well-placed vintage microphones.

Sandy's voice is as warm and comfortable as ever, and his songwriting contributes several new gems to the band's catalog. The swing and rockabilly numbers, in particular, leap from the grooves with extraordinary vitality. "Chalk it up to the Blues," surely would have been a standard, if only it had been written 45 years earlier. It's only one of the joys of an album that's perfect for a summertime drive with the top down.

4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Cd's. Swing Surf & Country, June 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: It's Time (Audio CD)

This has to be one of the best Big Sandy albums in a LONG time. Don't get my wrong. I love Big Sandy's music, but the last album was very weak. This album makes you want to play it over and over again. You will be singing and dancing to this one in no time. If you have not heard of Big Sandy, this would be a great album to start off with. A big ol' 5 Stars!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Good!, November 26, 2003

By 

H. Sonnie Mullins (The People's Republic of St. Petersburg, Florida USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: It's Time (Audio CD)

A very catchy album. Several hints of hints of doo-wop with that insatiable Fly-Rite swing. A little surf rock. A little pizzacato by Ashley. Jimmy Roy on steel. Bobby, keeping the beat. Slappin' bass. Sandy crooning. Man, what a good thing!
"Catalina" and "Money Tree" (sung by Jeff, the upright player)
stay with you long after the playing is done. Hey, all the songs are good'ns, though.
See them on their current tour and you'll appreciate the band even more.