CD REVIEW: THE KAT KINGS – Swingin’ In The Swamp

CD REVIEW: THE KAT KINGS – Swingin’ In The Swamp
Kool Kat Records
10 June, 2016
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
8/10

Kevin McQuade’s Kat Kings mine the original rockabilly rock n’ roll kats for their inspiration, tapping into the pure grooves of early Elvis, Cash, Perkins et al, and delivering a goddamned beer drinkin’ n’ hell raisin’ party, no doubt about it.

Their second album, following 2011’s The Winning Hand, Swingin’ In The Swamp does exactly what it says on the tin: swampy rock n’ roll with groove and swing that’ll get feet to tappin’, butts to wigglin’ and girls and boys dancin’ way too close.

There’s a bit of everything here, too: the music-is-king rambunctions of When I Say Jump and Poppin’ At Party Time; the lively Juke Joint Jimmy (about a real-life Toronto icon); Before I Found Him’s blend of snakey grooves and swampy gospel – and that’s before the big Vegas Elvis payoff at the end; the low riding, top down, shades n’ collar up Ridin’ In Style; some Tony Joe White styling on It Came From The Swamp; some fiery honky tonk piano on Til It Feels Alright; a touch of ZZ Top sizzle on I Got The Fuse; the Cajun Gumbo of Late Night Thing; and the hilariously rockin’ closer Baby You Can’t Drink.

Swingin’ In The Swamp is party music the way it used to sound, and the way it should do again, so fill your tiki mugs with some firewater and get swingin’, kool kats.

Category: CD Reviews