Customer Reviews

Wolfgang's Big Night Out

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Well Guys and Dolls, throw the ballet slippers in the corner, and push the easy listening chair out of the way...this classical music has been Dixie-fried and Setzer-ized! This ain't your grandma's classical music, it's high-octane, get up outta your chair, gotta dance classical with a twist of swing and rockabilly.

From the opening track of "Take The 5th", to "Take a Break Guys", WBNO is a fine example of the musical talents of the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Brian's guitar playing is crisp and clear, showcasing his ability, and confirming that he is indeed one of the best guitar slingers of today. The orchestra sounds incredibly tight, and the famous Setzer-style rings true. The vocal tracks on "One More Night With You" and "Honey Man" fit nicely, and compliment the arrangements in a fun, unexpected way. "Honey Man" is one of my favorite tracks on this album, simply because it brings me back to childhood days of watching Batman on TV. Brian's lightning fast fret work, combined with the intensity and urgency of the Vixens vocals, transports me right into the middle one of my beloved superhero's fight scenes...Bam! Crash! Kerpow!

"Sabre Dance" makes me want to drink a whole pot of caffeinated coffee, and take the hot rod out for a spin. Drive fast and frantically through traffic, slow down and take a breather (behind a semi that I can't pass), then pull out into oncoming traffic and start the craziness all over again.

"For Lisa" is a pleasant surprise. I like the introduction of a violin to the orchestra mix. The compliment between clarinet, violin and guitar really give this song a Dixieland jazz feel, something I didn't expect from a Beethoven composition.

"Here Comes the Broad" makes me want to get married again (to my wonderful hubby). It's a fun, flashy, bright lights, Vegas-y kind of a tune that should grace the play list at any respectable wedding reception. What a cool tune to introduce the happy couple!

Many other musical adventures wait within the remaining tracks on the album. Keep your ears peeled while listening...there are lots of buried treasures within the different songs. Little riffs and such that you are sure to recognize and bring a grin to your face. So, what are you waiting for? Put on your creepers, grease up your pomp, and grab your Gretsch air-guitar... BSO fans, young and old, will not be disappointed in this new release.

Wolfgang's Big Night Out...this cat's outta the bag.

This time around, Brian Setzer and his orchestra are trying something different. On his latest cd, Wolfgang's Big Night Out, Brian gives classical a try putting it to the sound of swing. Only two of the songs have vocals, One More Night With You and Honey Man. You will be familiar with most, if not all of the songs here, believe it or not, but you now get to hear them done Setzer style. There are plenty of guitar highlights. Check out Sabre Dance and Honey Man for some blazing guitar. Like acoustic? Listen to For Lisa, where you also get violin and clarinet. For some rock style guitar, go for Take A Break Guys. There's even a little bit of banjo in Yes We Can Can. Don't forget about all of those horns, either. They're a kick!

Personal favorites-Sabre Dance (frantic!), Yes We Can Can (peppy, peppy, peppy) and Take A Break Guys (Brian's playing reminds me of some early 70's style rock~that's kinda sexy!). Those are my top faves, but the entire album is a blast!

First off, I have everything that Brian has ever put out. I could not wait until this came out, and was it ever worth the wait. Like the first reviewer has said, there is not a bad track. I can't describe in words how good this is. Every time I play this through it just gets better and better. I can't come up with a favorite because they are all so good. As usual the king of the guitar is at a level other guitar players only dream about. Each song is a masterpiece. If you have heard this band play the Nutcracker Suite and MY Favorite Things, get ready for twelve such epic songs. Brian absolutely blazes during Sabre Dance and Honey Man and I mean BLAZES. I could go on about every song, but it would be the same which is SENSATIONAL. This cd should go down as one of the all time greats, I can't imagine any one 10-100 years old not loving this. I will wrap this up by saying, this will be some of the best money you will ever spend. Buy this with confidence!!!!!

As a long time Setzer/ Stray Cats fan, I was skeptical about wether or not a classical album by a band known for recreating songs by Louis Prima, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington and the like. There's no question that Setzer likes to take the unorthodox route when releasing his music as it almost NEVER fits into the mainstream. But that's OK. That's what put his bands on the map over the years and this round is no different.
First, ;et me tell you how well that this album is mixed and mastered. In this day and age of everybody wanting to make a quick buck- throwing together any form of rubbish to make a hit that will be forgotten in 6 months, we lose sight of how an album is constructed and the "rare care" that goes into making a great album. That task does not fall solely in the hands of the artists, but the producers and studio engineers. This is not a bad note on this album. The engineers and producers made this album sound as brilliant as anything that I have heard in quite some time. I might even go out on a limb to say that this is the most well- produced album of Setzer's career.
Now for the material- a group of popular classical numbers redone and renamed to fit the swingin' side of the Orchestra. "Take the 5th" is a pleasant surprise and should be compared side by side with the remake of Beethoven's 5th released by the Trans- Siberian Orchestra. Both sounding surprisingly fresh and different but not enough to bore whcih is what I was afraid of. "Honey Man" is a great take on "Flight of the Bumblebee". On this instrumental- heavy album, you have to check out the updated versions of "Sabre Dance" and "1812 Overture", renamed the "1812 Overdrive". This album makes it OK for you to blast out Tchaikovsky out of your 1949 Ford.
For those of you who have enjoyed the last 2 Christmas albums by the Orchestra, you will like this as it can easily be played on shuffle with any of your holiday favorites, albeit this is NOT a holiday album.
All and all this is a great album. The photo on the back of the album depicting the late greats of the classical eras sitting at a bar with the Newcastle tap showing plainly is worth a good laugh and this album is worth a pick-up. If you are expecting a commercial success like "The Dirty Boogie", then don't bother. If you want to hear skilled musicians and instrumentalists giving a different take on a genre that only Setzer would think to do this to, and at the same time be listenable, then look no further.

Chad Koenig

I LOVE this CD! Amazing playing, amazing arrangements, amazing recording quality, great energy-- absolutely excellent on every level. Brilliant. I might come back later and get more specific about the individual tracks but for now I don't want to blow any surprises for anybody. Just pick it up, put it on and let the whole thing play. Not a bad track on here.

This album is amazingly fun. Setzer has long been well respected, but normally as a semi-niche player instead of a brilliant guitarist from people I talk to. Here, he fearlessly shows just how amazing him and his orchestra really are. There aren't many cats out there that can pull off rockabilly, hot club jazz, swing, bebop, and still make it sound like them all the while. To do it with arrangements of long-beloved classical music is startling, quite frankly. I never would have thought it could come out this well. It's like the guy can do anything he wants--period.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen with distortion and a wah pedal?! Fer Elise as a Django Reinhart inspired hot club jazz piece?! Positively brilliant, unique, and fun throughout. For any classical musician out there who would rather cut off their arm than play Eine Kleine Nachtmusic or Fer Elise one more time, you must buy this album. It will be most fun for you (and maybe get you thinking of trying out jazz for a bit ;-).

It is classical, it is jazz, and it is really swinging - with the coolest hep cat of them all, Brian Setzer, at the helm of this swinging ship. Only his imagination could come up with a whole new genre of music. It's fresh, fun, the arrangements are superb and the musicians are down right phenomenal. This is nothing like you've ever heard before so at first you might not 'get it'. But play it again and it sticks in your head until you find yourself dancing while trying to walk! Once it clicks in your head, you'll want more, more, more. There isn't even one so, so track on this cd. Really, Setzer and company have outdone themselves. I can't imagine what he's got in store for us next! Something from another world, perhaps?

This is, quite possibly, the funnest, freshest album I have heard this year!

I don't think I have ever heard anything Mr. Setzer has been involved with that I have not liked. However, this project certainly had the potential to be horrible. How do you take 12 of the greatest classical tunes of all time, arrange them for a Big Band with a (albeit brilliant) guitar, and not make a mockery of yourself as well as history's finest composers?

Well, Brian Setzer and his band have done just that! This is a must-have for every music-lover.

The BSO has always been a big favorite of mine...but this new one is definately the "coup de gras"(coo-de-graa) of my collection.
For those of you up to date, Brian Setzer, frontman for his bands "the stray cats", "the nashvillans", and " '68 comeback Special", He has risen up in the ranks of music to musical genious.
With his 18 piece orchestra of saxes, 'bones (trombones for those not musically savvy), trumpets, a drummer, a standup bassist, and the frontman himself, setzer on the guitar!!!
setzer's musical works have had massive appeal in the past and have skyrocketed him to fame in the swing and big band category, but never before have i heard such genious as heard in "wolfgangs big night out"

Taking classic pieces such as beethovens 5th, William Tell Overture, the 1812 Overture, The Flight of the bumble bee, and even Fur Elise makes an appearence in a gypsy swing style. Some purists of the classic age may think that setzer has poisoned the water with this "display of general disreguard for music"...however...i think of the composers of that time had electric guitars, and brian setzer...this is what it would have sounded like.

hearing these reinterpretations of the works, is incredible. Its almost as if he had Bach, beethoven, and mozart right there conducting with him.
Setzer has always taken risks before with his band...this being the biggest one so far...and one of the best!

THis is easily my favorite album they have released ever, and i hope they keep it up!

Definatly a good buy, would make for awesome gift, and good for age, old and young will love this music!!!!

Oh my goodnes! From start to finish this album is a red hot rockin good time, totally revved up versions of classical music. As a HUGE fan of Classical music and Brian Setzer I'd say that the man has done it again. He compliments classical with his own swagger. if anyone cares to oppose this post, let them. But Brian Setzer is one of the most versatile, dynamic, and greatest guitarists on this planet. Hands down!