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Lee Rocker

Black Cat Bone

(Alligator; US: 14 Aug 2007; UK: 13 Aug 2007)

Picking up exactly where he left off with the high quality of Racin’ The Devil, Lee Rocker brings this collection of songs together with a signature rockabilly feel. He slaps the hell out of that standup bass during the train-rolling “Gone”, and also during the fun-filled “String Bass, Guitar and a Drum”. However, the rather routine romp “Crazy When She Drinks” isn’t anything to salivate over while the cover of Dylan’s “One More Night” goes over far better than expected. Throughout it all, Rocker stays true to what got him and the other Stray Cats noticed in the first place—a deep devotion to old-time rockabilly. This is the case with the slow, creeping title track and the up-tempo verve seeping out of the Hank Williams tune “Lost Highway”. The tender moments are hit and miss affairs, especially when Rocker opts for the slow dance “What I Don’t Know”, which is basically ‘50s-era rock and roll. The highlight of the baker’s dozen is the rambling “The Wall of Death” while “The Highway is My Home” holds its own as well.

Rating:

Originally from Cape Breton, MacNeil is currently writing for the Toronto Sun as well as other publications, including All Music Guide, Billboard.com, NME.com, Country Standard Time, Skope Magazine, Chart Magazine, Glide, Ft. Myers Magazine and Celtic Heritage. A graduate of the University of King's College, MacNeil currently resides in Toronto. He has interviewed hundreds of acts ranging from Metallica and AC/DC to Daniel Lanois and Smokey Robinson. MacNeil (modestly referred to as King J to friends), a diehard Philadelphia Flyers fan, has seen the Rolling Stones in a club setting, thereby knowing he will rest in peace at some point down the road. Oh, and he writes for PopMatters.com.


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Lee Rocker - Blue Suede Night
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30 Mar 2006
Stray Cat Lee Rocker is doing quite well for himself, thank you. And this album seems to be more consistent and stronger than anything he did with Setzer and company.
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