Month: November 2022

Royal Crown Revue – The Contender is another raucous cabaret jazz album that has swinging elements of swing jazz from the swing revival of the 1990s. The tone for this album is much different from their other albums. This album is more aggressive due to having fighting songs such as Big Boss Lee, Friday the 13th, and The Contender. Which is why The Contender is considered to be a more brash aggressive Royal Crown Revue album. Many of the moods of the songs are exciting and exhilarating. The album had explored new avenues of storytelling.

Friday the 13th explained the trouble Eddie had gotten himself into in New York City. Joey The Amateur and Eddie were out drinking last night when Eddie got 3 sheets to an ill wind. Eddie gets carjacked by Joes. He finds himself lost of his prized possession which is his fine Double 5 Lincoln convertible. Eddie goes on an adventure to retrieve his Double 5 Lincoln convertible back. This leads Joey A. (Joey The Amateur) and Eddie get into a fight which leads into them boxing each other in a boxing match. This also leads them getting into a scuffle.

It was a fine left coast morning. And Eddie found himself planted outside The Cap ‘N’ Cork tipping back the hops in order to calm his dancing hands. You see Eddie doesn’t usually play the tied-up watchdog routine looking up and down the street. But this is the corner Joey A. and Eddie were supposed to meet.

You see Joey The Amateur and Eddie were out clinkin’ glasses last night. When Eddie got 3 sheets to an ill wind himself being in possession of a fine Double 5 Lincoln convertable. Joey offered to skip him back to the crib. He awoke to a barren driveway. And a neighbor started to chide. “Joey dumped you off and he’s got your ride!” Black cats don’t bother Eddie because he smiles in bad company. And he is cool as the day is long. But takin’ short. That’s dead wrong.

It was now 11:22 AM and up scuffles Benny The Shoe. A real hot air merchant from way back. Eddie inquired about Joey A and his superfine Lincoln. Then Benny beat his gums and testified to Eddie explaining, “Joe’s washing the short. Changing da oil He’ll be here by three.” So the little hand hits 3 PM and who should appear but a Cuban cat named Geronimo. An upstanding cat in the textile business. He said, “Joey knocked over a racketman and is laying low for a few. But in your trunk he left you some treasure. A pint of rye and a case of Slim Jim’s for your masticating pleasure.

Now it is 10 PM. Eddie is hot as a hophead’s zippo when Rosie appears on her financially motivated nightly exercise routine. He asked the whereabouts of the horsepower thief in question Snd she shot him that amphetamine stare. Rosie said, “Joey A.? I just got out of his Lincoln on Hollywood Way.” Eddie thought “Kill Joey A.!” when the bar keep came out to simmer him slow boil. Rosie said, “Joey A. just called on the blower. He said you better skip town ’cause the cops got your ride. You’re wanted for solicitation. Possession — you owe him one. And here’s the scather. And another thing cat. Don’t ask me for goddamn favors!”

The Contender is about a boxing match in the boxing ring at a gymnasium. Eddie plays the role of a boxer in the song. The song was inspired by boxing champion Muhammed Ali.

The lights are spinnin’. Eddie’s gotta get himself up off the floor. His head is ringing. Bet they think he can’t take too much more. The crowd is howling like the ocean’s pounding roar. His legs are goin’ out. Someone up there don’t like him. Now his right and his left will decide because they’re done with this bum takin’ dives. Now his eyes may be swollen with right hooks and tears but he see salvation tonight in a left and a right.

People called Eddie a kid, champ, or lefty. A bowery kid to the core. Fast cars and hipster movie stars. He ain’t got none of that anymore. Now he is down in the 7th round. By the 8th round his ribs are sore. Eddie is staggering around by the 9th round.

It’s a one-way ticket. Smart money is showing him the door. Backed on the ropes now is where his body lays. When the crowd goes silent, he’ll be comin’ back for more. Now his eyes may be swollen with right hooks and tears but he see salvation tonight in a left and a right. Eddie sees salvation tonight.

I rate this album 5/5*****!

Royal Crown Revue – Mugzy’s Move is an action-packed filled cabaret jazz album that has lively swinging elements of swing jazz. The album is filled with fast paced uptempo swing jazz numbers. This Royal Crown Revue album was inspired by classic pulp fiction movies and books. The band was proficient and energetic with their energy when recording and performing these songs. They helped bring in that swing revival.

Datin With No Dough explained how Eddie dated a woman while he had no money.

Eddie fly and flash. His jive is sweet. Pressed in pleat right to his feet. But when it comes to cash he is incomplete. That is because he is datin’ with no dough.

Eddie told the woman he is dating he wants to take her on a date on the condition that she’d have to wait because he never owned a car in the state of New York. He’ll be datin’ with no dough. The valets and the maître d’ roll out the red carpet for Eddie. His looks are deceiving because when the check comes he’ll be gone. If flash were cash he’d be a Rockefeller.

Eddie took the woman he is dating uptown to show her that he had some class. He could not pay the drink tab. You know He ended the date with her foot up his ass. She found out Eddie was a broke deadbeat and left his ass.

Trouble In Tinsel Town explained the hustle and bust of Hollywood life in Hollywood, California.

Dirty neon lights and the traffic’s cry. Footsteps echo on the street. The cheap but lovely chicks. And a sawbuck for a trick. She’ll work for a bite to eat. So where is all the glamour? Where’s that lovely starlet’s kiss? But out in TV land they dream of Tinsel Town. But I’ll tell you just what they’ve missed in the city where the night runs deep. Hustlers roll. Beat cops stroll. Seedy bars. Cats in lowered cars. That’s Hollywood while you’re asleep.

Well here comes the fog. Or is that smog? I can’t tell anymore There ain’t no welcome wagon around this town. Fred and Ethel sure the hell ain’t next door. But way out in the distance someone watches the late night show. They dream of being hip on Sunset Strip.

A song called the The Rise And Fall Of The Great Mondello explained the rise and fall of a trapeze artist known as The Great Mondello.

Ladies and gents. Your attention please. Let’s look to the flying trapeze. The Great Mondello will take to the sky! Watch him go! see him fly!

Now this wonder will start with some flips while the ladies are biting their lips. Now the tension is high as it gets. That’s right folks. There are no nets being used. This cat was flying through with the greatest of ease. All of a sudden The Great Mondello missed the trapeze. Kersplatty on the ground he went. Come and see where Mondello did land. The poor fellow is in the Lord’s hands. That’s all folks. Go home. See you next week.

I rate this album 5/5*****!!

Gry & FM Einheit – Public Recording is one of the lesser known electro swing albums that got overlooked by fans of jazz music and the public in general. The album has super loud swinging jazz production set a loud volume which makes the album very lively. Rocket, Coctailsm, Ray, Ego, and Summer Wine are the highlights of the album.

Rocket explained singer Gry’s mission for a little sun.

It was a cold grey afternoon. Gry is on a mission for a little sun. She raced with cars, the bike, and the train only to come cold back again. Through pockets. Under beds in the closet. In the fridge everywhere and over all in it. Then suddenly the stars fell down one by one and undressed the big blue room. Her oneway to escape out through the horizontal verticalling movements in the blue sky. Boom, boom. Rocket to the moon.

Gry returned from the jungle with a glass full of stars. She got sunshine in her pockets. She brought it back to spray the day and a fist full of glow. She has traveled thoughts. She traveled light. She traveled in/with time. On a cold grey afternoon, she caught a spot of the sun of the moon.

Summer Wine was the song which featured Alexander Hacke who was the bassist of German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten. The song is about Alexander Hacke and Gry having a date over delicious tasty wine. The song is an Alexander Hacke and Gry duet.

Alexander Hacke walked into town on silver spurs that jingle too. Gry saw his silver spurs and said, “Let’s pass some time and I will give to you summer wine.” Gry’s summer wine is really made from all these things. Strawberry, cherries, and an angel kissing spring. Her summer wine is really made from all these things. She tells him, “Take off your silver spurs and help me pass the time and I shall give to you summer wine.”

His eyes grew heavy and his lips would not speak. He tried to get up but he couldn’t find his feet. She reassured him with an unfamiliar line when she gave to him more summer wine. When Alexander woke up, the sun was shinning in his eyes. His silver spurs were gone. His head felt twice it size. She took his silver spurs-the dollar and the dime. And left him craving for summer wine.

I rate this album 4/5****!

Parov Stelar returned back to his original electro swing roots on The Art of Sampling album. He does not solely rely on electronic music as he did with his Voodoo Album. He went back to interpolating vintage swing and modern jazz on this album here.

Parov talks about meeting woman named Josephine on the song Josephine.

Parov sat there alone listening to the saxophone while drinking sour whiskey at the bar. Then he saw her silhouette. She came and sat next to Parov. Her name was Josephine. She asked him for a cigarette. That’s how they met. She be cream and honey. His personal Playboy Bunny. I was her hundred dollar bill. They spent their our money. Always out looking for a thrill. It’s never cheap in Beverly Hills.

Don’t get him wrong. He knows he’ll miss her face. But he is movin’ on. You and me Both of them had something. Now he has to let her go. It’s a matter of his taste. He has always been this way. He likes them bad girls. You know the type. The ones that are so badly behaved. Don’t care about nothing but trouble. And they don’t care what you say. Josephine was his honey. Ain’t it funny how it goes? Parov has no regrets at all. Don’t get me wrong.

She Ain’t Got No Money is about this gold digging lady who has no money and wants Parov. She constantly asks people for money. This sexy lady ain’t got a dollar to her name.

She says she likes the way Parov talks. She really thinks he is funny. She wants him and she wants his heart. But she ain’t got no money.

Parov talks to her and says, “Pretty girl, how you been? I’ve been diggin at you since the day I was 10. But now I’m only thinking ’bout Benjamins.” This sexy lady ain’t got a dollar to her name. This sexy lady ain’t bring a dollar to the game. He really wants to give her his loving and all. He’s been working for too long. Now he’s gonna marry himself the wealth by finding that richest woman. So he’s gonna take her on himself.

Ain’t that the pretty doctor over there? Hanging out with the divorced lawyer who has that long blonde hair. Don’t go to go score, man Just become friends and meet the wealthy women who hangs around with them. All of them are rich and are deep in wealth. Come and see for yourself.

Faith shines and prevails even in/during the darkest hour. Faith in serendipity. That is what Faith is about. You know in the darkest hour, faith shines and prevails. When the coastline lights are waving that they shine like precious threads of pearls. And your house of clay built by the river with your strong arms hosts your faith in serendipity. So keep carrying on. Only hope can be above it all.

I rate this album 4/5****!