Trouble Train, Lonely Avenue

Brian's back, maybe for good this time!

If the rest of this album is as strong as these two tracks, Lonely Avenue has the potential to be the strongest BSO album in over a decade!

Trouble Train - I love the urgency of this track - The blistering hi-hat immediately pulled me to the edge of my chair while the opening guitar lick recalled the sneering licks of Ghost Radio, Switchblade 327, with Spazz's driving bass pushing this locomotive full steam ahead. I love the Jordanaire-esque backing vocals - and we're not even a minute into the song! I'm picturing a gritty Robert Mitchum on the lam chased by the long arm of the law or perhaps his own personal demons in a breakneck race with the devil on Thunder Road, awash in a frantic montage of guardrails, headlights, an oncoming train or two, superimposed over his maniacal "live fast, die young" leer.

I love the way the horns punctuate while the saxes take you on the roller coaster ride in support of the melody and the searing guitar. The importance of the rhythm section cannot be overstated during the scene changes throughout the song. I love the vibes in the middle - it's as if the subject in the song has reached his crossroads, and despite the cautionary lyrics, his destiny is sealed, answering the devil's call, as the Trouble Train claims another soul.

I love the imagery created not just by the lyrics, but by the sound. In fact, I love that the song is a huge showcase for the orchestra, even as the guitar slinger is front and center. I can see the black-n-white mini-movie Brian and Mark Jones have created, and I thoroughly enjoy it. Not since Switchblade 327 or Ghost Radio has the BSO been this edgy. Whew!


Lonely Avenue - Strings! Man, I have missed those lush strings from Luck Be a Lady and September Skies. I'm not saying I want them on every BSO song, but they serve this song beautifully. Brian's crooning in the sweet spot of his vocal range throughout the song, as smooth as he's ever been. And yet, the lilting guitar and velvet vocals take a bit of a back seat to the gorgeous arrangement. I love the blend of the vibes, reeds, and strings, with the brass exchanging big, bright sounds with warm, muted support for the ultra-cool vibraphone. It's like buttah, I tell you! I could feel the second-hand cigar smoke and single malt drawing me in. I never wanted the song to end!

Lonely Avenue's lyrics capture the "Moon-June-Croon-Spoon" of Tin Pan Alley without getting too cheesy. But what I love about both of these offerings is that the orchestra is once again the star of the show. As great as it is to hear Brian's vocals again (I really missed them on Wolfgang) I love the way the orchestra is featured on both of these tracks. It's the same arranger and many of the same musicians as the last album, (no Bernie, of course), and yet the band sounds so much more at home recalling the best moments of the non-Christmas BSO's rich history, while taking us places we haven't been before.

And we've only had two tunes so far!

Damn, I cannot wait for the rest of this album!

Welcome back, Brian Setzer Orchestra! We've missed you!




Believe the Hype-a-billy

These are brilliant choices for early release. Trouble Train gives you what you expect and crave from Setzer. But Lonely Avenue.... damn, it's something else.

Lonely Avenue makes melancholy such a gorgeous feeling to experience - other songs that make me actually want to keep feeling sad are "One For My Baby (and One More For the Road)" and "Angel Eyes." That's some pretty amazing company. My God this song is absolutely is inspired.

Sounds great.
I`m not a Itunes guy, so i have to wait for the album
Does anybody know the official release?

B

October 13, Brett. That's according to the press release Laurent posted that I reposted here: https://hoodoovoodoolounge.darkbb.com/all-things-setzer-f1/we-have-a-winner-t1288-60.htm#17029
Though, Amazon still shows the release as Sept 29...



I can't sleep, I keep thinking about Lonely Avenue. I will distill my previous thought even further:


Frank Sinatra and the Count Basie Orchestra should have been so lucky to record the song "Lonely Avenue."


Surfdog, feel free to use that in your marketing materials!

I can't get enough of Lonely Avenue. The orchestration is incredible! Great separation among the instruments, (reeds, brass, strings, guitar) and yet, they blend together so well. Setzer fans might hear the violins and think, "September Skies," but this chart is so much more fully-formed. Beautiful.

I must admit, Trouble Train caught my attention first, but I can't stop listening to Lonely Avenue. I must have played it about 20 times over the last three hours, and will stop now only from sheer exhaustion (it's 3am.)

At the intersection of Dreamsville and Lonely Avenue...

Strings Attached-a-billy

Brett wrote:

Sounds great.
I`m not a Itunes guy, so i have to wait for the album
Does anybody know the official release?

B

Brett, are you honestly not gonna get these epic songs 2 months early cause youre not an Itunes guy? well get to bein' one

mjcodina wrote:

Brett wrote:

Sounds great.
I`m not a Itunes guy, so i have to wait for the album
Does anybody know the official release?

B

Brett, are you honestly not gonna get these epic songs 2 months early cause youre not an Itunes guy? well get to bein' one

maybe i have to change my mind, but i even don`t know how to manage this...(but i`ll find it out)

Brett wrote:

Sounds great.
I`m not a Itunes guy, so i have to wait for the album
Does anybody know the official release?

B

how do we baptize you in the murky waters and the muddy
banks of Itunes!

btw.. shore fire sez Oct 13 for the release..maybe I read it wrong its
1:43am and I'm bleary

tvthewiredturtle wrote:

how do we baptize you in the murky waters and the muddy
banks of Itunes!

Haleluja

Any idea about the Japanese release??
Sure it comes with something extra!! Yaay!

I once tried to buy something from itunes and it never accepted any information i gave it!
I tried it with my mom's credit card (of course she was asked before^^) and also with my dad's and it never worked...

Wow! "Trouble Train" is a great song for shows, I can't wait to see it live (May be this winter in NYC??) but "Lonely Avenue"!! Damned, I was married 2 months ago, we choosed "Lonely Summer Nights" to open the dance, but if I have to start it again, this one is the absolute n°1!!

Thank you, Surfdog, Brian, et. al. for the preview songs. I just downloaded them and plan to get to know them better today. I love it that we got two totally different songs. Oooh, I'm hearing strings on Lonely Avenue. Dreamy! Trouble Train sounds great too! Can't wait for the rest of the album! I love BSO!

I am on cloud 9....

They both are phenomenal but there is something about Lonely Avenue that makes me keep wanting to hear it again and again.

Amazon is releasing the album Sept. 29th. Its gonna be tough waiting but definitely worth it.

Thank you for the review. Rick.

I'm really looking forward to hearing the complete album.

We shouldn't fail to mention, another nice piece of original Cody Setzer artwork for Trouble Train!

Nothing is like waiting for a new Setzer album ..

so Nikko..ya think Setz' has redeemed himself after that
Wolfgang and 13 album thing? I think so.. I need September skies-ish BSO in my life again playing like a soundtrack in my soul down the high roads and lonely avenues.

tvthewiredturtle wrote:

so Nikko..ya think Setz' has redeemed himself after that
Wolfgang and 13 album thing? I think so.. I need September skies-ish BSO in my life again playing like a soundtrack in my soul down the high roads and lonely avenues.

Don't know if he did or not because I'm getting this album either. Some kinds soul bought me the Wolfgang album and I did listen to it once. Big band just doesn't do it for me anymore. Still waiting patiently for some rockabilly and some Crutcher.

*ducks and covers*
N

Nikko wrote:

tvthewiredturtle wrote:

so Nikko..ya think Setz' has redeemed himself after that
Wolfgang and 13 album thing? I think so.. I need September skies-ish BSO in my life again playing like a soundtrack in my soul down the high roads and lonely avenues.

Don't know if he did or not because I'm getting this album either. Some kinds soul bought me the Wolfgang album and I did listen to it once. Big band just doesn't do it for me anymore. Still waiting patiently for some rockabilly and some Crutcher.

*ducks and covers*
N

only guys that quit drinking whiskey dont listen to big band anymore!

19th oct...can"t wait to be ROCKED!.

Both songs sounded brilliant!!!!!! A must have!!!

Wow, really really great stuff! Thanks Brian..... Can't wait for the whole album.

Just listen to the songs (a friend of mine bought the songs for me)

Very, very cool.

Awesome.

Lonely Avenue sounds a bit like a Sinatra/Martin Tune.
A great song for autumn (it reminds me a little bit on "September Skies", a song i like very much)


Trouble Train...yes, now we are in trouble now.
What did Brian say in Montreal 1995: "It`s Psychobilly-Big Band-Time"

Yes, indeed.

Fantastic Music again.
looking forward to october. (btw, one of my favorite month)

B

Hmmm, was not too impressed by the teasers I heard on itunes, but the whole songs might win me over. I didn't think Setzer'a voice sounded good at all; maybe some of you are hearing what you want to hear. Hard to say without hearing the rest of the album, so I'll reserve judgment for now.