This is definitely not a recording that I would automatically say... this should be good. But you know...it's great! Lindy Fralin, famous pickup designer and manufacturer along with John and Gary Fralin are
the Bopcats. They have put together a versatile set called
25 Years of Rock n' Roll which includes styles from blues to country (and everything in between. Often when you hear that, your first thought is watered down and indecisive but in this case, what you hear is a group of guys playing what they like and having a blast doing it. Ten of the seventeen tracks to be released on October 2, 2012, are originals and this recording is great listening.
First up is
Don't Want To Be Alone, a rock styled country song focused more toward dancing. Everly style vocal harmonizing enriches the track.
Dark Train is even a little more country and is a really cool track.
Who Drank My Beer has a lot more Chicago swing to it. Gary Fralin plays some pretty nice keys on this track.
Broke Down brings to mind a number of early rock n' roll tracks but still has that country root and even has some British influence in the composition. Steel guitar even finds it's way onto this track but used in a less traditional way.
All I Need definitely has that Blue Cap rockabilly sound. There is a great hopping sax solo on this track to kick it into high.
Wheels Of Mine crosses boogie with country for a very enjoyable track. Lindy takes some cool guitar riffs on this track adding a specific rock a billy flair.
That's Right is a pretty straight forward rocker along the lines of the early Holly and British invasion. very cool!
Crazy Li'l Baby is a distinctive early rock and roll style track. Cool riffs just seem to fall out of the guitar using the fifties bent vibrato and double stops.
Red Cadillac has a heavy vibrato to back a fairly basic early rock ballad. The Bopcats do their own bluesy take on
Ventilator Blues and I really like it.
Marie Marie is a definite early 60's style rocker and played to style, even with the original style vocals.
Sweet Thing has more of a rock beat and the vocals are a bit more raw. One of the best tracks on the recording. A hot sax solo punches this track up as well.
Life Of Crime is another raw rocker. One thing that I'll mention as a positive is that a number of the tracks that stand out on this recording really have the grit of Keith Richards writing and delivery.
Jenny Jenny is a surf style tune with the reverb and tremolo. very cool. I always like when one of these tracks gets thrown into the mix. Although an entire recording of them may be too much, a track well done is very cool. Bopcats do a real fine version of Johnny Cash's
Get Rhythm. Although not over the top flashy, the guitar work on this track is pretty cool.
On A Roll really steps up as a rock n'roll track. Again Bobby Keys like sax riffs punch to track up. The recording wraps with the old country song,
The Race Is On. The guys don't try to do anything fance but just play it and enjoy the ride. This is a cool recording and if you want a change of pace... this is it!
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