Eddie Ate Dynamite - Jason Vivone and the Billy Bats - New Release review

I just received the newest release, Eddie Ate Dynamite (January 28, 2014) from Jason Vivone and the Billy Bats and it's a modern Louis Jordan with a twist. Opening with Cut Those Apron Strings, Vivone lets off a full swing number featuring bopping backing vocals from Paula Crawford and Joanna Berkebile as well as Bryan Redmond on sax and Chad Boydston on trumpet. Placebo has an unusual beat and a composition that is a part Zappa, part Little Feat and part Captain Beefhart with particularly cool slide work from Vivone and bass from Jeremy Clark. Mean opens with a haunting vocal lead from Crawford. BB King like blues riffs permeate the trance like melody and Matt Bustamante keeps it tight on drums. Title track, Eddie Ate Dynamite is a loose slide guitar led track with swing like rhythm. It's obvious that this band is serious but their music is intended to be a lot of fun. Analog has a standard blues style and turnaround but is very simple format with vocal, bass and drums. Using a traditional melody and simple guitar solo the track gets it's point across. The Blues and the Greys has a "train" rhythm but presents itself with primary storytelling intent. Pretty cool. Me Thinks The Lady Doth Protest Too Much opens with a nice "Dazed and Confused" style bass part. The walking bass is built upon by nice key work by Rick MacIvor and light chord anchors from Crawford. Where Did The Day Go opens with nice primitive style slide work from Vivone rhythm guitar from Crawford. This is primarily a bluesy guitar jam with both interesting lead and slide work. Clark steps up with a nice solo and Bustamante also gets a chance to stretch on this track as well. Very cool! I Can Never Say Goodbye is a gospel/R&B style ballad with Vivone taking the lead on vocal accompanied by McIvor on piano. This track has a sweet melody ad is a good closer to an interesting release. You're not likely to hear anything else like it this year!

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