Untitled publication

Stray Cats - 40 (2019) - 6/10 The trio from New York state hadn't released records for 15 years. This year the group turned 40, in honor of this event their eleventh studio album was released. SC fans can bash me all they want, but for me they ended where they began. The wonderful self-titled debut remained their unreachable ideal. It had drive and variety, it expressed the whole essence of rockabilly. All the other records did not even come close, being, although not without good tracks, maximally banal and simple. Simple in terms of mediocrity. If not for the debut, Stray Cats would be a completely ordinary rockabilly group, but that disc really stood out against the background of the style. I was almost certain that 40 was just an anniversary title, and the material would differ little from a standard album by the Brian Setzer trio. In general, that's how it is. There is a pile of interchangeable rock 'n' roll club numbers and 4 worthy compositions that you can listen to more than once: Cry danger, I attract trouble, I'll be looking out for you, Devil train. Undoubtedly for those who are fans of such unobtrusive music, 40 should go down great - no surprises. And I could come to terms with that, but the main problem is the absence of that very drive. A tired Setzer and just as tired Rocker and Phantom - you won't get far on just professionalism and experience, especially considering that there were problems with energy before as well.