Warren Scott & The Memphis Playboys
The Western Bop Sessions
Pink & Black (2009)Possible Styles: rockabilly, hillbilly, western swing
Submitted by: rockinev.
Publication date - 22-05-09
Well I have to say that I have been very fortunate lately to acquire some excellent CD's and this is no exception.
This is a relatively new band on the scene having only gigged about a half a dozen times, however the guys will be familiar to you, for Warren Scott is non other than Jack Rabbit Slim. Their website describe them as 'The roots of Sleazeabilly' and thats exactly what you get.
Where JRS play a very distintive modern sounding rockabilly, this is very much set in authentic '50's feel and style, but that is not to say it lacks a modern twist, because as with all the bands Bob Butfoy has appeared in, there is a distinctive style, swagger and panache about it.
The album kicks off with a self penned number Rocket Ship Mama, which captures perfectly those 50's tracks that all seemed to be obsessed with outer space, great western swing, hillbilly feel. Mean Mistreater, the Johnny Powers original is a good slice of rockabillly, as is the bopper Long Lean Baby.
Slim Rhodes' Take & Give is given a great outing, rarely covered stuff this and the self penned Treat Me Bad, rocks along nicely.
Then comes one of my favorite boppers, Pat Cupp's, Do Me No Wrong that positively rocks, if this doesn't get you on the dance floor, nothing will!
Playboy swings along nicely with some great lyrics of the type Bob excells at. Scarecrow Bop - another original - is firmly in the hillbilly bop style and reminiscesent of the simple and sometimes plain silly topics for songs that were always popular in th '50's. By covering Eddie Cletro's First Class Second Hand Woman you can tell what type of stuff this album is packed with.
Everybody Rock is a great rockabilly screamer again one to fill a dance floor. The album closes with some more classic sounding rockabilly You Look That Good To Me.
All in all this album just about haseverything. The band launched it at the recent Hemsby Rock'n' Roll weekend, (see elsewhere on the site for a review) it was very well received - the DJ's playing tracks from it on the evening I was there, and I saw a fair few copies being bought .
I can thoroughly recommend this CD to anyone! The band is sceduled to play on High Rockabilly in Spain later this the year, so see them if that's in your part of the world.
Source :: http://www.rockabillybash.com/reviews_content.php?id=260
SPACE ::http://www.myspace.com/warrenscottthememphisplayboys