I.M.O.T.Y. 1996
INFLUENTIAL   MUSIC   OF   THE   YEAR

*Album*Of*The Year*



"Guitar Slinger"
- The Brian Setzer Orchestra

It was December 26,1996, and I was checking my mail at the post office as usual, and found a shipment of CDs I ordered. Upon opening the package, I found the CD "Guitar Slinger", and thought I had misordered, but remembered I had bought it because of a 3-line review in BMG. I was having second thoughts and was going to return right there, but didn't. The next day was Friday, and I was ready for the weekend because of the Holidays, and opened up the Briaz Setzer CD and thought I'd give the BMG review a chance. I had a 45 minute drive home and thought I'd do the quick 'intro scan' to see if there were any good songs on it, not remembering what kind of music was described in the review.

Much to my suprise, the style of music was 'Swing', mixed in with a nice dose of electric guitar. I've loved swing for a long time, but thought I would have to settle for the usual Tommy Dorsey for my life, thinking the genre of music had passed and was gone forever. But that suddenly changed. And who ever better to do the job than the lead singer of the 80's band The Stray Cats, Brian Setzer in his second solo album with a full orchestra. Old favorites likes A Town Without Pity are done justice to, keeping true to the original song. But this time, add Setzer's 50's rocker-type voice along with his 'rockabily' style. He even pays tribute to the late Stevie Ray Vaughn with If The House Is A Rockin'.

If that weren't enough, Brian Setzer writes and arranges the totally Count Basie swing song He's The Man With The Magic Touch. And then there's Hey Louis Prima, another tribute to a great legend where the drummer opens up a song up that never has a chance to look back. There's A Rumble In Brighton Tonight resembles an almost Broadway show tune with a beat that's so easy to dance to, and a voice that makes it even more fun to get loose to. Brian sure knoews how to get your attention.

"Guitar Slinger" has brought life into a genre of music that is so much fun to listen to, but hasn't been around for a very long time. Every song on the album is worth listening to. No need to program any song from this CD. 'Random' will do just fine. So if you're looking for some music that's new, but old too, pick up a copy of The Brian Setzer Orchestra's "Guitar Slinger".

I.M.O.T.Y. 1996

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