Customer Reviews

Walk on Fire

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

RCR seems to have moved away from the fast swing of Mugzy's Move (by far their best!) and towards a jazzier, more melodic aproach to their songs. The songs work well, and at least they're enjoyable to listen to, but Eddie Nichols is forced to rely on singing the songs "straight" and not resort to his "gangster" gimmick voice. On the previous 2 CD's Eddie's vocals were strong and melodic, but on this CD he sounds unsure of himself. When I first heard this CD I thought that somehow a "lost" RCR CD had been re-released. The drums don't sound nearly as big on some tracks, and the guitar is muddy. I still like the tracks, my favorites of which is "Hey Sonny (Where'd You Go?)", "Watts Local", "A Bronx Hello", "Trapped (In the Web of Love)" and "Beware" (which has Eddie's best vocals). "Watts Local" sounds like Mighty Blue Kings with a better studio sound. Overall this CD is much like The Contender with slightly worse sonics production wise. This CD almost feels like songs leftover from The Contender. RCR is still my 2nd favorite swing band (next to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy), but I long for RCR to come out with more songs like Zip Gun Bop, Mugzy's Move, Datin' With No Dough, Honey Child, etc... Oh well, I still would like to see them perform these songs live. The only song I can do without is "Mr. Meschugge" which gets a little bit silly and gimmicky. I would suggest that on their next CD, they get a producer like Ted Tempeleman, to push Eddie's vocals on some songs, and give RCR a fuller sound like they had on Mugzy's Move.

People seem to get so caught up this whole swing thing. RCR is not a swing band, they are a band who swings. Swing is not about lindy tempo dances beats, loud horns or zoot suits.

Swing is a feeling, an attidute, and a way of carrying yourself musically. Wynton Marsalis is always talking about "the swing, the swing, the swing."

RCR is hands down my favorite band. Period. I have had the honor of meeting the guys in the band a few times after concerts, and these guys did not get caught up in the whole swing craze, because they didn't want to. They lead all the other pretenders to the pearly gates of gold records, MTV, and Halftime shows. They could have gone that route, but they turned their backs, and went the road less traveled.

God bless them for that.

I bought this album at 12:01 of the release date, and I was blown away by it.

Keep it up, guys.

There's nothing to say about this album except "Amazing!" Once again RCR proves why they are the best band that is carelessly lumped into the category of "swing." Sorry Lindy Hoppers, if you're looking for an album full of songs that sound the same with up tempos, check out Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. This album is so diverse, there's no way I can describe it in such a small space. Thank God they left Warner Brothers so they can do their own thing artistically (they were NOT dropped despite what a previous review stated). The only thing better than this album (which they recorded miraculously in three days!) is hearing them live..check 'em out on their fall tour. To Eddie, James, Daniel, Veikko, Mondo, Bill, and Scott my hats off. A masterpiece.

No fast driven, hard edged swing/bop. No more stabs at a place in the mainstream. RCR went into the ring on the last album, and fought back against the hype. Walk On Fire is their crowning achievment. Their heavyweight belt. No longer looking to prove themselves to anyone, RCR has finally opened up into their myriad of musical influences. From be-bop (A Bronx Hello), to gritty noir blues (Take a Long Drink for Me) to high powered, blaring grooves like "Watts Local" and dark melodic tunes like "One eyed cat".

The choice is obvious. They paved the way for modern swing, and now their showing everyone that they're still the leaders by once again deviating from current trends and standards.

When I first got home with Walk on Fire, I eagerly listened to the entire CD once through. And I must admit that I was at first disappointed. It wasn't Beyond the Sea from Mugsy's move, it wasn't Zip Gun Bop from The Contender, and it just wasn't as cool. But afterwards, the tunes kept coming back to me! This CD just grows on you. Its all I can do now to stop whistling, singing, and humming these tuns while going about my day to day business. This CD is without question as good or better than anything they've done before, while actually being quite a different style from their last CDs. As much as I loved this album, I do hope that in the future, though, we hear some more fast paced Gangsta' Bop, maybe on their next CD ???

BUY THIS ALBUM! This album is not to be missed! RCR have shownus that they can progress as musicains even further than imagined, andblow the hair off of all the other "swing" bands out there.

I bought Walk on Fire when it came out and it sat on the bottom of my collection for some time. I recently rediscovered and I can't stop playing it. This one beats 'em all. I'm constantly shocked at how little attention this band gets relative to other retro bands; their style, ability and range progress from album to album.

I saw RCR once live and was blown away by their on stage charisma. I can't wait for their next album . . . It's the Watts Local baby !

For all of you people who bought this CD, but didn't like it, you must be either a) smokin some weed or b) a friggin idiot. The music on this CD is very flowing, with each instrument sounding great alone, but molding with the others even better. Also, the songs on this CD are not all the same, which allowed me to get a feel for how well rounded the musicians are. This is a great CD, and I suggest buying it.

This was one of the more interesting and orininal of the modern swing bands. Listen to the opener "She Walks On Fire" with it's spainish "bull fight" sound, and the rollicking rockabilly with horns sound of "Watts Local", I was able to see these guys, and dance to them live at the OC Fair in Costa Mesa, they got everything from a swingin' creative drummer to a honkin' saxman, exellent original songs, and unique arrangements. A mixture of 50's era Vegas swing, and exotica!

This album is something between Kings Of The Gangster Bop and Mugzy's Move. Royal Crown Revue are still great. The album is not as wild as The Contender. But it's still Royal Crown Revue album. "The Stranger", "She Walks On Fire" and "Besame Mija" are my favourite songs from this album.