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ROCKER Bulletproof (33rd Street) You may be familiar with Lee Rocker. He was the bass player in the Stray Cats back in their hit days. I’m not sure what he’s put out on record since those days, but this one is a barnburner. The band is a quartet with two guitarists, Brophy Dale and Tara Novick. While some rockabilly definitely is contained in these grooves (alright, maybe CDs don’t have grooves, but you get the idea), there’s a mix of rock and roll and a bit of country that works marvelously. I’m not sure which guitarist plays what, but the solos all rock. The playing is fun and imaginative on every cut. Rocker’s vocals are fine too. Plain and simple, this would be a fun bunch of guys to be kicking the heels up to on a Saturday night. Just check out “Little Lies,” a really clever rocker with some wonderful guitar work. “Upright and Underground” is rowdy as hell, and pays homage to Rocker’s favorite bass. The title cut is a boogie, with rowdy guitar ripping up the joint. Fans of Carl Perkins’ playing will love “Evil” and the cover of “Midnight Shift.” Speaking of covers, there’s a killer version of the Beatles’ “I’ll Cry Instead” that does more than hint at the rockabilly the Fab Four’s version did. This is as fine a rock album as you’ll hear in a while. And if you like roots rock, it’s a no-brainer. – JH View this article in PDF format |