Customer Reviews

Swing Brother Swing

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

 

 

Don't put this CD on in the late evening or you'll be up all night.... Dancing! I mean these cats know how to jump, jive and wail. The pedal steel guitar will twang your heart, the sax will burn your soul. Ray has a voice that is slatherin' with dirty, low-down jitterbug. If you can remain seated during the first cut "Hadicillin Boogie" you better call 911... you're dead!

You can enjoy Ray Condo and His Ricochets for so many good reasons. Maybe you have a need for an injection of kick-ass, swinging, clean-your-whole- house energy. Maybe you love swing or rockabilly or country music or all three at the same time. Maybe you'd like to hear some astounding musicianship for a change, or a wonderfully whining pedal steel. Maybe you're fan of cool old and new songs, sung in a voice drenched in an uptempo life on the road with a band. This is a combo that many more people need to hear about, and soon. They have the arrangements, chops, and just plain fun that Squirrel Nut Zippers wishes they had, without the Zips self-consciously arty cleverness. This guy, leading this band, is the real deal. Do yourself a favor: buy this CD, see the band live, and tell everybody you know.

From the moment "Hadicillin Boogie" starts coming out of your speakers, you're going to fall in love with this record.

And if you're the observant type, you may even remember that this track currently appears in a commercial for the Honda Accord. A couple are driving along a lonely Texas freeway in their Accord, "Hadicillin Boogie" is playing on the stereo, and they have a good natured nonverbal dispute over how loud to play this song (inadvertantly demonstrating the convenience of auxiliary volume controls mounted on the steering wheel).

Hopefully, the exposure will get Ray Condo and his band some more recognition. This is an excellent record--35 minutes of swing, jazz, and rockabilly. The only problem I have with this record is that "Hadicillin" rocks SO hard that it almost overshadows the rest of the album. A great cut overshadowing a bunch of good cuts--now that's the kind of problem I wish more records had.

Ray Condo & his Rochochets are great on CD, but even better live!! If they are ever in your area, they are definitely worth seeing - these guys put on a heck of a show.

This is not what one thinks of as Rockabilly, but if one keeps an open mind it is a very rewarding CD. It's more of a blend of Rockabilly and Weestern Swing with a bit of an edge. I love to play it loud when I'm making chilli.

I've been listening to ray since 1989 when he was with his hardrock goners and I'm happy to say he hasn't changed