Zoot Suit Riot: The Swingin' Hits of the Cherry Poppin' Daddies

Cherry Poppin' Daddies

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1997)
• Original Release Date: July 1, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Umvd Labels
• ASIN: B000005B00
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (320 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #92,684 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz > Retro Swing

Track Listings

1. Zoot Suit Riot [#]

2. Ding-Dong Daddy of the D-Car Line

3. When I Change Your Mind

4. Here Comes the Snake

5. Mister White Keys

6. Come Back to Me

7. Brown Derby Jump [#]

8. Dr. Bones

9. Pink Elephant

10. Master and Slave

11. Drunk Daddy

12. No Mercy for Swine [#]

13. Cherry Poppin' Daddy Strut

14. Shake Your Lovemaker

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

One of a handful of pop groups in the latter half of the 1990s to exploit the renewed interest in American roots (swing, big band, soul) music, this Eugene, Oregon ensemble scored big with a neat modern update of the old school. Purists take note: Cherry Poppin' Daddies built a following by touring with third-wave ska outfits like Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish, prompting main Daddy Steve Perry to wryly call his group "third-wave swing." But post-Swingers dance fanatics (rockabilly retro-cats, modern-day sockhoppers, and Royal Crown Revue boosters) don't sweat the particulars. Charged horn arrangements, bouncy rhythms, and saucy verve effectively recall masters like Basie, Cab, and Ol' Blue Eyes while injecting an unmistakable post-punk ethic. --Mark Woodlief

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars for neo-swing, it's great stuff!, April 26, 2000

By	John Gale (Rockville, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Cherry Poppin Daddies! Another one of my favorite swing bands. However, these guys are a little more hardcore than anybody else... lyrics are a little fun to listen to, as the name of the band can imply. The tempos are a little more variant, ranging from a nice slow gander to a fast lindy. But the music is still excellent! As mostly original songs, this album can give quite a bit of spice to a night of swingin. The band does have a few other albums, I believe, but as hardcore as these people are, I think this cd (a compilation of their best music) is just the right amount of their kind of swing music. It is a little more modern than all the other swing bands... but that's also what's fun! Check it out. You'll like it!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice... almost great, October 9, 1999

By	Hepcat26 ([e-mail]) "dthorne9" (USA) - See all my reviews

CPD is a good band. They are tight, efficient, skilled with their intruments, and fun to listen to. But are these guys a GREAT band? I don't think so, yet. Zoot Suit Riot was one of my first forays into the world of swing. It's catchy, full of fun, semi-memorable riffs, and the singer oozes suave, but they're also missing something vital to this kind of record, which is a basic understanding of what swing is all about. They've attempted something new, which is honorable: to take contemporary musical themes and mix them with the 40's beat. Unfortunately, some of the intent is lost in playback, and the whole record sounds a bit smarmy and anti-nostalgic. On the other hand, is it fair to argue that swing MUST be just like it was back then? But here's what I say. It's fine to modernize swing. The guys doing it back in the day were modern. I think the problem lies in the subject matter itself. The songs of the 40's dealt with easy-going stuff: love, dancing, swinging, clubs, vegas, stuff like that, rather than the darker issues of that time. In contrast, CPD tries to deal with those of the 90's: abusive parents, sex, and alcoholism, to name a few. I just don't think there's a place for that stuff in the swing genre. CPD used it in their ska/punk albums to good effect, but when it comes to swing, they ought to stick to the stuff that makes swing fun to listen to. The best new swing bands out there are the ones that can play about stuff that's swingin', but yet still modern. The Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra is a great example. I think CPD, if they plan to continue their swing playing (which they probably should, as it has gernerated a hell of a lot more revenue than ska/punk ever did for them), they would be wise to listen to Indigo Swing, Bill Elliott, RCR, and BBVD, and really try to get a feel for what they're doing before they jump right in. On another note (pun!) they are technically superb, almost as good as RCR, better then BBVD in most respects, and damn fun to listen to. Check these guys out, but take them with a grain of salt.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This CD flat out JAMS!!, August 31, 1998

By	[e-mail] (Snohomish, WA) - See all my reviews

In parousing the other reviews, I notice that the only ones that are negative make reference to this music "not being real swing..." C'mon people...you are missing the boat. Instead of buying this CD with preconceived ideas of how it should sound, just slap it in your player and enjoy it for what it is...extraordinary song-writing, amazing musicianship, and more heart and soul than you could ever want. If you pay attention to any of the press on what the band is about, you would know that the very thing they want to steer clear of is rehashing the 30's and 40's swing. Unlike many of their contemporaries, (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Squirrel Nut Zippers, etc), they do not aspire to create a sound that could fit seamlessly into that distant era, but instead want to create new and exciting sounds like you find on this fantastic CD. For those of you who are open-minded and just love excellent music....buy it and enjoy!!