Stray Cats - Gonna Ball (1981)

The Stray Cats' second album, Gonna Ball, was considered something of a
disappointment when it was released in 1981; back then, it had the
disadvantage of competing with the expectations raised by its immediate
predecessor, a miraculous debut produced under the guidance of Dave
Edmunds. When they pulled up stakes in England and returned to the
U.S.A., they signed with EMI-America and built their American debut
around what the band considered the best songs off of their first two
records -- as a result, neither U.K. album was widely heard intact on
American shores. Heard on its own terms 23 years later, Gonna Ball seems
like a minor masterpiece, capturing the group going deep into early
rock & roll and even pre-rock & roll roots music and far beyond
the boundaries of rockabilly, supported by various players, including
Rolling Stones alumnus Ian Stewart. Their rendition of Johnny Burnette's
"Baby Blue Eyes" was a bracing opener (later moved to the closing spot
on their third album). Brian Setzer's "Cryin' Shame" included a killer
extended jam and harmonica showcase, and the Lee Rocker/Slim Jim
Phantom-authored "(She'll Stay Just) One More Day" was a sophisticated
piece of jump blues with a beautiful sax solo at its center and powerful
central riff; Setzer's "What's Goin' Down (Cross That Bridge)," in
turn, was as fine a Bo Diddley tribute as had been done by any white
artist since the 1960s -- and none of those three made it on to their
American debut LP. Setzer's "You Don't Believe Me" oozed the spirit of
Elmore James out of every guitar note, while "Gonna Ball" and "Wicked
Whisky" were exercises in rockabilly primitivism. "Rev It Up and Go" --
which made it to the third album -- was an impassioned Chuck Berry
homage that also obliquely acknowledged the Beach Boys' service in
making his riffs work in a uniquely white suburban context. "Lonely
Summer Nights" -- also on the third album -- proved that this band could
handle the ballad side of '50s music with the best of them when they
wanted to. And "Crazy Mixed Up Kids" (which didn't make the cut to album
number three) was a psychobilly instrumental workout par excellence.



Genre - Rock

Styles - New Wave, Rockabilly Revival

Time - 35:33

Format - mp3@320 Kbps

Size - 83 mb



Tracks

01. Baby Blue Eyes

02. Little Miss Prissy

03. Wasn't That Good

04. Cryin' Shame

05. (She'll Stay Just) One More Day

06. What's Goin' Down (Cross That Bridge)

07. You Don't Believe Me

08. Gonna Ball

09. Wicked Whisky

10. Rev It Up and Go

11. Lonely Summer Nights

12. Crazy Mixed-Up Kid



Credits

Brian Setzer (guitar, vocals)

Lee Rocker (bass, vocals)

Lee Allen (tenor sax)

John Locke (keyboards)

Steve Poncar (saxophone)

Brian McDonald (harmonica)

Ian Stewart (keyboards)

Slim Jim Phantom (cymbals, drums)



Label

Arista, 1981

Code:

http://linksave.in/12297943894efec759d8c68