Saturday, August 2, 2014

The 69 Cats Transylvanian Tapes Cleopatra 2014

Vincent Price would have loved these guys!

Brent Black / www.criticaljazz.com

Gothic rock meets rockabilly? Music has had strange bedfellows before so why not? Gothabilly is a intriguing hybrid of sound that seemingly falls apart on paper but comes together for a delightful riff on the lighter side of evil. The band has some serious credentials with former Cramps bassist Scott “Chopper” Franklin and Blondie drummer Clem Burke. This is a release that is built on the “spirit” of the music as much as the music itself and includes some excellent covers of some golden oldies and pop favorites. A cult band / super group in the making? Probably!

Some of the more interesting if not incredibly fun covers include Duran Duran’s “Girls On Film” and a grooved out riff on Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London.” The reigning Queen of rockabilly makes an appearance on the Elvis Presley hit “She’s Not You.” A “fun” record that you can actually take seriously, there is some muscle behind the tunes and the arrangements work well and are not near as “cheesy” as something you might here from the Stray Cats. Perhaps the hidden jewel in the release is the cover of “Sweet Transvestite” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” At first you think, “no way.” You walk away loving it.

4 Stars

Tracks: People Are Strange; Sunglasses After Dark; She’s Not You; Runaway; Sweet Transvestite; Edge of Reality; Necromance For Guitar; You’re My Baby; Werewolves of London; Black Cadillac; Girls On Film; 69 Guitars; Bela Lugosi’s Dead.

Personnel: Jyrki69: Vocals; Danny B. Harvey: Guitar; Scott “Chopper” Franklin: Bass; Clem Burke: Drums.