Thirteen - for Andi

Alright, Miss Andi. Here 'tis. A summary of my initial thoughts on 13. I'm sure I'd probably change a few lines now, but these were my initial impressions back in September 2006. It's a hard album to describe in a few words, so hopefully this will aid you in your decision of which Setzer album to buy next:

Anyone who expects 13 to be Rockabilly Riot,Volume 2, or Son of Ignition could come away from 13 either disappointed or pleasantly surprised. Clearly, some reviews I've read so far indicate the reviewers were madly in love with Rockabilly Riot, Volume 1 and unable to enjoy anything that wasn't rockabilly or swing-infused. Given that plenty of listeners will bring similar expectations to any Brian Setzer release, I think repeated listenings of 13 are required to get the over the initial shock of Brian stretching outside of the "swingabilly" box so they can enjoy the Setzer smorgasbord of rock, blues, boogie, rockabilly, rock, swing, rock, jazz, folk, rock and more rock.


Drugs and Alcohol (Bullet Holes) - Hearing this song as many fans did, out of the context of the entire album, over two months before the release of 13, really did not do the tune justice. Having only this 4:56 slice to dissect over and over stirred the waters a bit, as a few decried the apparent abandonment of all things rockabilly. But Drugs and Alcohol serves as the perfect opener to this diverse album. First, the countrified Travis-picking intro invites in the 'billy faithful up to the front porch, only to kick in the front door a few bars later with a jolt of straight ahead rock guitar, the likes of which we haven't seen from Setzer since the Knife Feels Like Justice and Live Nude Guitarsalbums. The best thing about Drugs and Alcohol (Bullet Holes) is the way the 'billy and rock sections blend together so smoothly, sometimes in layers, and sometimes individually, as if to reassure the swingabillies from the past 13 years that everything will be just fine - the rockabilly and rock can co-exist and even thrive on this latest effort.

Take a Chance On Love - 13 drives ahead, barely taking a breath with its second track, Take a Chance on Love. Shades of Molly Hatchett and Lynyrd Skynyrd inhabit the licks in this infectious Texas boogie. The throbbing boogie beat that drives this song reminds me a little of Ignition. The energy of the running guitar licks is matched by Brian's enthusiastic "Yeah!" and Ronnie Crutcher's assault on the descending "Baby, take a chance, baby's in a trance" figure at the end of each chorus.

Broken Down Piece of Junk - This rocker is like a not-to-distant cousin of Who Would Love This Car But Me? from Ignition, with a little of Elvis' Big Hunk o' Love mixed in. Robbie Chevrier's pounding piano adds to the grit of the low-down dirty sound accompanying this amusing tale of woe. Some of the overdubbed vocal asides are a little distracting, but the lyrics themselves are quite entertaining. Although they shouldn't fit, the "Ooh la la las" in the chorus add to the smarminess of the song.

We Are the Marauders - The rockin' anthem written by Brian for the hard-workin' Pennsylvania band, The Marauders, champions the cause of many a young, hungry band, banging out the music that moves them night after night, regardless of the deserved, yet elusive success that may or may not come their way. Bernie Dresel kicks off the party with a Bo Diddley beat reminiscent of Rebels Rule, and then the tune switches gears to the bopping verses which proclaim, among other things, "American Idol is a bunch of crap," and " If you don't like it, that's your tough luck, because we don't care about making a buck." The folks at Rolling Rock Beer get a little free advertising as Brian chants "Buy me one more Rolling Rock!" towards the end of the song. I only hope The Marauders actually like Rolling Rock Beer, because they're bound to be swimming in it shortly after this song is released.


Don't Say You Love Me - Without question, this duet between Brian Setzer and Julie Reiten is a major highlight of the disc for me. Penned by Matt Rocker, (no relation to Lee) the song describes the passive-aggressive angst of someone desperate to hear an "I love you" from someone they know isn't ready to return the sentiment. Of course, the husband-and-wife pairing in a countrified folk setting begs a Johnny-and-June comparison. However, at the risk of blasphemy, I have to say I prefer the Reiten-Setzer blend to the Carter-Cash coupling. And the multi-tracked Rickenbacker/Gretsch duet in the simmering guitar tapestry is Beatle-esque, circa late '64-early '65. Rock on, George, one time for Ringo. Multi-tracking aside, I would love to hear this one performed live.

Really Rockabilly - How many rockabillies does it take to change a light bulb? Five. One to change the light bulb and four to stand around complaining that the original light bulb was so much better. Har-de-har-har! So goes the old joke that strikes at the heart of Really Rockabilly. Rockabilly snobs have been taking shots at the Stray Cats and Brian for years, taking issue with everything from fashion, the Cats' commercial success, and Brian's incredible virtuosity that occasionally just isn't "1956" enough for their tattooed palettes. Brian fires back at the dyed-in-the-Levis rockabilly fans who take themselves and their "scene" a little too seriously. The tune is scathing and humorous at the same time. The "pissed in his pants, he's too drunk to care, he wears 1956 underwear" line in the chorus strikes me as being a little sophomoric after repeated listenings. Some of the other lines are hilarious, though. For me, the real humor lies in the sarcastic musical quotations throughout the song, from the twangin' and bangin' of Brian and special guest Slim Jim Phantom on the Rumble in Brighton intro and the "Rockabilly Boogie in minor" on the chorus, to the various quotes from songs like Summertime Blues, Race With the Devil, Mystery Train, Flying Saucers Rock-n-Roll,and of course, Setzer and Phantom's own Runaway Boys. For those of you for whom this song hits too close to home, I'm sure Brian isn't talking about you. Then again, maybe he is. "Think I'll get another tattoo on my neck."

Rocket Cathedrals - Rocket Cathedrals is a cover of Be Bop Deluxe's 1974 glam-rock ode to a lonely astronaut. Sort of a revved-up Rocket Man. Brian's version remains pretty faithful to the rocking original, which isn't much of a risk when covering a relative obscurity. One change for which all Setzer fans should be grateful: the robotic back-masking about interplanetary destruction in the original intro was dropped in favor of a shorter electronic fade-in, giving it a bit of a mid-70s Steve Miller vibe. The hard-driving guitar and electric bass (both by Brian) keep this song moving at a break-neck pace. I'm thrilled to see this song is being performed live on the current Japanese tour. How in the heck did Brian discover this song in the first place? I'm guessing it had something to do with the album cover:






Mini Bar Blues - This instrumental reminds me of Les Paul or Jimmy Bryant in the late 1940s. Although I doubt either guitar legend was partial to a 12-string Rickenbacker. What I love about the song, is the informal jam-session feel the listener gets when the drum beat (drum machine?) fades in and the twin guitars start a-boppin'. Setzer enthusiasts waiting for the latest heir to Rat Pack Boogie won't be disappointed.


Bad Bad Girl (In a Bad, Bad, World) - Evidently, there was some contest between Brian and Michael Jackson to see who could use the word "bad" the most times in one song! I haven't counted, but all the "bad bads" might give the "Hey, Santas" a run for their money. All kidding aside, and even if I could speak Japanese, I have to say the guitar work is far and away the most interesting part of the song. The frantic banjo over the top of the "Monsters of Rock" guitars in the intro have me picturing a badly-dubbed Godzilla movie - with a rocking soundtrack! The menacing boogie guitar in the verses help build the tension all the way up to the chorus, which continues to rise up Mount Fuji with the Duane Eddy-like baritone that suggests that this tune might have been just as strong as an instrumental. And it ends with a gong. That sounds about right.

When Hepcat Gets the Blues - BSO fans rejoice. Here's a little cocktail-lounge number showcasing Brian's jazz chops and smooth vocals. I really dig Arlan Shierbaum's groovin' B-3 organ. Even with all the rockers on the album, this cool breeze is a welcome change of pace, allowing the listener to kick back and catch their breath before the rock returns.


Back Streets of Tokyo - This collaboration with Japanese rocker Tomoyasu Hotei recently spent some time in the Japanese Billboard Top 10, and is undeniably catchy Hotei's rich baritone blends quite well with Brian's voice. While the single bills the pairing as Brian Setzer "versus" Hotei, there's no question who the one true guitar slinger is in this song. The rock-and-twang reminds of the country-rock crossovers that seem to dominate Nashville in recent years. If the song were called Back Streets of Nashville it would probably find a home on CMT or country radio here in the US.


Everybody's Up to Somethin' - For part of the year, this was the working title for this album. Tunes carrying the album title typically are among the strongest efforts on the album. That's definitely the case here. The power riffs opening the song remind me of Zeppelin or AC/DC, (or Sammy Hagar's Heavy Metal) and then Bernie brings the funk, and, dare I say it, "MORE COWBELL!!!" One reviewer dared to call it "Spin Doctors faux funk." Faux funk my arse! Any youngster who can only remember back as far as their own halcyon hackey-sack days needs to go listen to CCR's Down On the Corner to pick up on the groove Bernie and Brian are laying down on the chorus. The solo in the bridge rubs a little Skynyrd on the funk and keeps the party going. The lyrics are clever and chorus is incredibly infectious. Brian calls out the hypocrite in all of us, cautioning people to mind their own business, as "nobody's up to nothin'." Everybody's Up to Somethin' is a standout tune worthy of being a single, if there still is such a thing these days.


The Hennepin Avenue Bridge - The musical setting of this gentle banjo-ukelele-tuba-bass drum-folkie chestnut sounds like it would fit right in on Bruce Springsteen's Seeger Sessions from earlier this year. Only there's no strong message of protest or the call to fight some great social injustice. It's just a harmless little drinking tune that's about 1 part fact, 3 parts fiction. This tune (described as the English Musical Hall style in a pressrelease for the album) seems to come out of nowhere stylistically, especially after a tune as hard-rockin' as Everybody's Up to Something. I have to admit, on the first few listens, I questioned this tune's role as the final impression the listener would have of 13. But given the high energy of the first twelve tracks, it actually fits quite well at the end of the album. The more I listen to it, the more it reminds me of a song one might hear drifting out of a bar at closing time, after a rollicking good evening of great music where the buzz of the alcohol is only rivaled
by the ringing in your ears.

Brian handles all the guitar work on 13, and also contributes electric bass to a number of tracks. There are plenty of sounds I've never heard on a Setzer album before, like the Rickenbacker and several of the licks bubbling over Take a Chance On Love.
I don't know if Robbie Chevrier would be up to the task on some of the meatier overdubs. But I am encouraged by the setlists from the Japan tour, which have included Rocket Cathedrals, Mini Bar Blues, Back Streets of Tokyo, and Drugs and Alcohol (Bullet Holes), all tunes I would have expected to be difficult to reproduce live.

Even with such an eclectic collection of styles on 13, the album flows quite well. Every song up until the after-dinner-mint of The Hennepin Avenue Bridge is upbeat, although the confines of "upbeat" range from toe-tapping to head-banging. But the album keeps moving, changing up styles enough to keep listeners interested in what's coming next. The album paces itself wonderfully, building up to the party that is Everybody's Up to Something before giving the listener a chance to exhale during The Hennepin Avenue Bridge.

I hope the fans who cling to the swing and rockabilly genres Brian has frequented throughout much of his career will come along for the ride on 13. Give it a few listens and see if it grows on you. I found trying to consider each song individually on the first few spins a lot less rewarding than just turning it up and enjoying the entire album from start to finish.

If you're ready for a rockin' good time where somebody's up to a little bit of everything, then 13 is your lucky number.

Really, Really, Write-a-lot-o-billy

Well that, that was just plain cool Rickabilly. Thank you so much. Funnily enough after reading your previous post, I went to Amazon and previewed all the tracks on "13." (I used up my internet quota from my ISP in the last month and only today was able to use high speed again, so am catching up on all the audio/video I've been missing!) Reading these descriptions now really helps a lot, and matches what I was thinking when listening to them- an extremely diverse album. By the sounds of it, right up there with KFLJ and NBFD in it's diversity and darker/weightier subject matter.

It's funny, with swing and rockabilly music there tend to be obvious topics that "fit" - cars, girls, love, dancing, drinking, fun, etc. And when someone known for singing about cars and dancing starts talking about pain or social justice (or anything political, religious, social or negative) or explores musical styles outside of what is expected, it's almost inevitably rejected out of hand. Which isn't really letting the artist be an artist, is it?

I'd be very interested to sit down and have a conversation with Brian Setzer about climate change, global food shortages, the rising cost and declining availability of energy/fuel (how will we maintain our hotrod lifestyles?) and the politics of these things. I imagine it would be extremely enlightening.

Thank you again, Rickabilly. Invaluable analysis.

You're most welcome, Andi. I have to say, with regard to the depth of the lyrical content, there's probably not as much darkness on 13 as on NBFD, and not nearly as much social commentary as on The Knife Feels Like Justice. Drugs and Alcohol, Really Rockabilly, and Everybody's Up to Somethin' definitely have their points of view, but the music, the beats, the guitar sounds, all convey to me that this album is, above all else, a lot of fun to listen to.

Whether or not you buy 13, or something else, I would love to read your thoughts on whatever you choose.

Mutual Admiration Society-billy

I really enjoyed the CD, except for that stupid (I'm sorry...yes, stupid) song, Bad Bad Girl....that one could have been left off, in my humble opinion....

Mini Bar Blues and The Hennepin Avenue Bridge made up for it a little, though...gotta love the banjo....

And yes, I'm the guy he's singing about in Really Rockabilly (and though I don't have any tatoos on my neck (or on my body at all), for that matter, I do cuff my Levis and drive a Rockabilly wreck....)
Rob

Flattop Rob wrote:

I really enjoyed the CD, except for that stupid (I'm sorry...yes, stupid) song, Bad Bad Girl....that one could have been left off, in my humble opinion....

Mini Bar Blues and The Hennepin Avenue Bridge made up for it a little, though...gotta love the banjo....

And yes, I'm the guy he's singing about in Really Rockabilly (and though I don't have any tatoos on my neck (or on my body at all), for that matter, I do cuff my Levis and drive a Rockabilly wreck....)
Rob

I'm not wild about the lyrics on Bad, Bad Girl, but I love the instrumental setting. It has this Japanese Sci-fi thing going on, and the Duane Eddy guitar figure that's underneath the Bad, Bad chorus works very well. I'd love to hear it without the vocal track. Brian has re-worked some tunes for use on later albums - not just the BSO arrangements of Stray Cats tunes, but new songs - Radiation Ranch/Drive Like Lightning, Jade Idol/Hollywood Nocturne. It would be very interesting to see this tune as an instrumental with a Duane Eddy-type lead, as I have no idea what kind of lyrical content would fit this musical texture.

And you may sport the "Really Rockabilly" look, Rob, but I doubt you tap into the negative energy of the elitist, exclusionary few Brian was singing about. I mean, you made it here, didn't you?

Godzilla-billy

Hope to buy this cd next week...

Till then,keep a ROCKIN"...

Exellent review Rickabilly.

rickabilly wrote:

I'm not wild about the lyrics on Bad, Bad Girl, but I love the instrumental setting. It would be very interesting to see this tune as an instrumental with a Duane Eddy-type lead, as I have no idea what kind of lyrical content would fit this musical texture.

Perhaps I was a bit harsh, 'billy...I think you voiced exactly the sentiment I was aiming for.....

Quote :

And you may sport the "Really Rockabilly" look, Rob, but I doubt you tap into the negative energy of the elitist, exclusionary few Brian was singing about. I mean, you made it here, didn't you?

You are correct in that summation, my friend...I'm definately not imbued with any negative energy...I guess that's why I never quite "locked" into the darker imagery of Psychobilly, like a lot of my friends....

I'm just a simple Rockabilly man....

Rob

Great review.
I just took my copy out of the shelf. Will listen to it tomorrow morning on the way to work.

In Europe some of this "authentic Billies" were upset when they listen to "Really Rockabilly" (Euro-Rockabilly...jaja wir machen Rockabilly).
I never understood this, cause...hey... who of these guys was a Rockabilly guy in the fifties? No one. Most of them started in the 80ies.
So my answer is anytime: don`t take it so serious. It is music and it is a record. It must entertain me.
And Mr. Setzer is such an amazing musician, we should thank for every single note he wrote and play.
So many different styles, such an awesome Guitar work.
We should be angry (in Europe) to the radio and TV people, cause they play this kind of music never or really rare.
"So" Something is wrong with my radio" is sadly truth. In those times I´m very happy to find an album like 13.

Good night...