Ready for an other "game" ?

I suppose you talk about this many times but I'm a kind of new here so...
I'd like to talk about our favourite Brian 's records. Let's start by the Orchestra.
How do you rank the 7 (officials and studios only) BSO records ?

I would make it this way :

1. Guitar Slinger (Japan release from 1995)
2. Wofgang's Big Night Out
3. Boogie Woogie Christmas
4. The Dirty Boogie
5. The Brian Setzer Orchestra
6. Vavoom
7. Dig That Crazy Christmas

1. Guitar Slinger (Japan release from 1995)
2. The Dirty Boogie
3. The Brian Setzer Orchestra
4. Vavoom
5. Boogie Woogie Christmas
6. Dig That Crazy Christmas
7. Wofgang's Big Night Out

1..Guitar Slinger (Japenese version)
2..Vavoom
3..The first BSO album
4..Wolfgangs big night out
5..Dirty Boogie
6.. 1st Christmas album
7.. 2nd Christmas album

Always difficult and I'm not sure I'll give you the same next week. But, today, I would say :

1 - Guitar Slinger (Japan release from 1995)
2 - Wolgang's Big Night Out
3 - The Brian Setzer Orchestra
4 - Boogie Woogie Christmas
5 - The Dirty Boogie
6 - Vavoom
7 - Dig That Crazy Christmas

1. The Dirty Boogie
2. Guitar Slinger
3. The Brian Setzer Orchestra
4. Wolfgang's Big Night Out
5. Boogie Woogie Christmas
6. Dig That Crazy Christmas
7. Vavoom

That thar' be my list.

In explanation, I will add, though, that if Hollywood Nocturne was released on Guitar Slinger, as that's when it was originally recorded, instead of The Dirty Boogie, then maybe 1. & 2. change on my list. Even so, I think the 1st 3 albums were really well done, and credit should go for Wolfgang's Big Night Out, as it was a radical concept with alot of work, even if some don't particularly like the classical composition of the music. The Christmas albums are great too, but I can't rank them ahead of the 1st 3, when they don't get played more often than the next 3-4 months of the year vs. all year long for the others. As for Vavoom, I still like it, and there are some great tracks lon it, like The Footloose Doll, etc. but the Glen Ballard take on In the Mood (especially compared to the original) and other production choices relegate it to the bottom in my opinion.

Capt. Jones

That's hard, it really depends on my mood. Here's my list for today:


1. Vavoom (brought me back to Brian)
2. The Dirty Boogie (Switchblade 327)
3. Dig That Crazy Christmas (Just for Hey Santa and Santa's Got a Hot Rod alone. Music to listen too all year round, brilliant!!)
4. Guitar Slinger
5. The Brian Setzer Orchestra
6. Wolfgang's Big Night Out
7. Boogie Woogie Christmas

They're all winners.

René-a-pony

Wolfgang's Big Night Out, well well well...... I don't hope for a Vol 2, way to strange for me, and most of you know how big a fan I am, but I guess still critical The first 3 albums are fantastic, the fouth one a bit like trying to do the third one, once again, still some super songs.
And one Christmas Setzer album should be fine, but I guess the Christmas marked in the States are pretty big. Even my old hero Billy Idol did a Christmas album, how punkrock is that (and it was pretty much a joke to listen to as well).

Thanks guys, it's really nice to share.
Let's talk about Stray Cats albums now...


I would rank like this :

1. Stray Cats
2. Gonna Ball
3. Choo Choo Hot Fish
4. Rant N' Rave With The Stray Cats
5. Blast Off !
6. Let's Go Faster
7. Rock Therapy
8. Original Cool

Gonna Ball (Japanese version with Cross that Bridge)
Stray Cats
Choo Choo Hotfish
Rant n Rave
Rock Therapy
Blast Off
Lets Go Faster
Original Cool


Gonna Ball is a stunning album, everything about is brill , pity it didnt have a hit single to push it when it was released. Nobody released records that rocked so good ,played so brilliantly back then.

Choo Choo was a class record that was wrongly ignored

Rant n Rave , another great record but with two faults in my opinion;
the lyrics to Rebels Rule and
The production was not right, I hate the sound(not the playing) of Jims drums. Its too tinny or something. The lovely flat sound of the first two albums would've been better.

I love Rock Therapy but they didnt capture the magic on the song Rock Therapy or One Hand Loose. Broken Man and Change of Heart were quiet good songs.

I dont know why a great song like Two Of A Kind or I Fought The Law were left off Blast Off

Lets Go Faster did not work but there were very good songs there. Top marks for trying something different.

Original Cool..hmmm. Twenty Flight Rock ,great guitar but missimg something. Be Bop Alula was great, Cant Help Falling In Love is one of my favourite Cats songs but the whole album is badly missing that spark.


It would been something special if they had recorded an album with Jimmy Iovine. 16 Candles was done brilliantly. And at that time the cats were doing Barbed Wire Fence , Bobbys Back, Time on my Hands. The Cats and Iovine woulve done a fab Running From The Hounds.

1. Gonna Ball (Japanese version )
2. Stray Cats
3. Rant N' Rave With The Stray Cats (Japanese version )
4. Choo Choo Hot Fish (Japanese version )
5. Let's Go Faster (Japanese version)
6. Blast Off !
7. Rock Therapy
8. Original Cool

1. Stray Cats
2. Gonna Ball
3. Blast off
4. Rant N' Rave
5 Rock Therapy
6. Choo Choo hot fish
7. Let's go faster (super songs, fuc.... up production)
8. Original Cool (why did they do this album, money I guess)

Choo Choo Hot Fish
Stray Cats
Gonna Ball
Rant & Rave
Blast Off !
Let's Go Faster
Rock Therapy
Original Cool

Choo Choo Hot Fish is my favourite Stray Cats album. It's the one of maturity. "Rockabilly of 2000" as said Brian in an interview. The Cats mixed their science of Rockabilly with the good sides of their solo experiences and Dave Edmunds was here to drive the session. Everything is perfect.
Stray Cats & Gonna Ball are the wildest ones with very specials moods : punkabilly & bluesy. Since the begining, the band was not just a Rockabilly band among so many others at this time.
Rant & Rave and Blat Off are good rockin' records but... Nothing really more. I mean we are far from the special moods I was talking about for the two firsts.
Let's Go Faster... A very special album, really different. Brian tried his solo influences with the Stray Cats. But he's definitely not made for that kind of sound and production even the album is really interesting. I'd like to say that I think that : Blast Off + Let's Go Faster = Choo Choo Hot Fish.
Rock Therapy and Original Cool are often bad ranked. This albums have been recorded in almost the same conditions : while or just before a split. That probably explains the absence of feelings sometimes (not a yell from Jim in the whole Rock Therapy !) This said, even on this two albums, we can find some jewels like One Hand Loose, Rock Therapy, Twenty Flight Rock or Be-Bop-A-Lula.

Here be my list.

1. Stray Cats
2. Let's Go Faster
3. Choo Choo Hot Fish
4. Gonna Ball
5. Rant N' Rave
6. Rock Therapy
7. Blast Off
8. Original Cool

In discussion, I guess we're not listing Built for Speed because of it being a compilation-type album with tunes from the 1st few albums and the title track as the only new release? Well, obviously, the 1st album speaks for itself, and with the songs on it, it represents some of their biggest and best hits. Beyond that, though, I think the catalog is open to interpretation. It's a toss-up for me between Let's Go Faster and Choo Choo Hot Fish for 2nd, but after listening to them, I kind of think that Let's Go Faster is a more cohesive/stronger album from top to bottom. I admit it's a departure from the regular rockabilly Stray Cats sound, but I think that strategy works well on songs like Town Without Pity (Perry Mason-esque) and Struck By Lightning Twice. Choo Choo Hot Fish is still a phenomenal album, though, and my highlights include Jade Idol and My Heart is a Liar, among others. I place those three albums above the rest in my rankings. Gonna Ball (lack of radio hits notwithstanding) is a fine album, and Rant N Rave has some memorable tracks (I Won't Stand in Your Way, Sexy & 17, etc.) so they come next. Rock Therapy and Blast Off follow, and I think that they sort of mark a time where they were searching for the right sound as things were bridged between Setzer's solo outings and the Cats' comeback/breakups. My favorite track from those two, Broken Man, almost sounds like it could have been conceived for The Knife Feels Like Justice or Live Nude Guitars rather than a Cats' album. As for Original Cool, well I have to admit, I was a little bit disappointed when it came out (Train Kept a Rollin' is closer to the original Johnny Burnette version, where I was expecting something more adventurous like the Yardbirds or Aerosmith versions, especially on the guitar solo). The songs are well done, but all cover tunes vs. originals relegates it towards the bottom of my list.

Capt. Jone

So now... Let's talk about solo's album !

- Live Nude Guitars
- Rockabilly Riot
- Rockin' By Myself
- 13
- Ignition !
- The Knife Feels Like Justice
- Nitro Burnin' Funny Daddy

Live Nude Guitars is my fav' Setzer record. Variety of songs, sound, sleeve... Everything is top !
Rosie In The Middle is the song I prefer among every Setzer tunes.

Another tough question. I hope the next question isn't going to be which of Brian's guitars you like the best.

1. Nitro Burnin' Funny Daddy
2. Live Nude Guitars
3. 13
4. Ignition!
5. Rockabilly Riot
6. Rockin' By Myself & The Knife Feels Like Justice only because I haven't heard them (yes, you read right).

René-a-pony

IMO the easiest question so far...

- Ignition
- The Knife Feels Like Justice
- Rockabilly Riot
- Nitro Burnin' Funny Daddy
- Live Nude Guitars
- Rockin' By Myself
- 13

But shouldn't "Red Hot & Live" be on the list as well? I mean, considering the inclusion of "Rockin' By Myself", which is also a live album...


Anders

Here be my list:

1. Ignition
2. The Knife Feels Like Justice
3. Live Nude Guitars
4. Nitro Burnin' Funny Daddy
5. 13
6. Red Hot & Live
7. Rockabilly Riot
8. Rockin' By Myself

Explanation:

Well, starting from the bottom, I have to put RBM and RR down here, because although they're still good, solid, well-done albums, they are in essence cover works, whether he's covering old Rockabilly or himself, and therefore not as great to me compared to his solo original works. Red Hot & Live and 13 come next, and I could go either way on the order here, they're both good, but I particularly liked the live piano intro. to Rock This Town off of RH&L, and my favorite track on 13 was Mini Bar Blues; although I also liked Drugs & Alcohol (Bullet Holes) even though it wasn't the most popular song amongst all fans. Nitro Burnin' Funny Daddy, to me is a classic. The obvious highlight is Rat Pack Boogie, but I liked the overall depth of the album. Alot of different moods (somewhat darker/mellower in spots) on that one. I mean we have everything from doo-wop, To Be Loved, to the wild west, Wild Wind, to spiritual rock, St. Jude, on that album. Live Nude Guitars and The Knife Feels Like Justice are another close pair, and both have well-written arrangements that sort of foreshadow the BSO sound. In particular, I think the string arrangement of Love is Repaid By Love Alone was a neat touch that surfaced again on The Rain Washed Everything Away, and later on September Skies. Great songs on both, but I give the nod to Knife primarily because of Boulevard of Broken Dreams, my favorite solo tune, being on that album. However, I still would place Ignition first, because it really is a solid rockabilly return, with alot of different elements within the genre, and the guitar playing is top-notch, even for him. All the tracks are great, but I would single out Dreamsville, which is one of my favorite ones to both hear and play along to.

Capt. Jones

1. Ignition
2. Nitro Burnin' Funny Daddy
3. Live Nude Guitars
4. Red Hot & Live
5. Rockabilly Riot
6. 13
7. Rockin' By Myself
8. The Knife Feels Like Justice

Well... Ignition is my fav'. In 2001, after 4 BSO records and almost ten years after the 2nd Cats split, it was the real good moment to go back on Rockabilly trio with the perfect team (Mark W. & Bernie D.) and with a record lookin' in many directions : Rockabilly of course but Jazz, Punk, Rock and... Flamenco !
Nitro Burnin' Funny Daddy, 2 years after, is probably the most personal album Brian ever recorded. It contains a lot of unforgettables for me.
Live Nude Guitars contains a few tracks I like a little less but it rocks.
Red Hot & Live, Rockabilly Riot & 13 are really close for me. A kind of mix between past & future.
Rockin' By Myself is above all moving : Brian singin' with his brother after their father just passed away...
The Knife feels Like Justice... Really interesting but the sound...