Royal Crown Revue Contender CD

Zoot suits? Black & white Brando movies? Las Vegas show bands? Sounds like something your parents would dig, right? Wrong. Royal Crown Revue is the coolest of a small crop of bands that struck gold with their own niche in post-alternative pop. THE CONTENDER is not a collection of grunge guitar and gloomy, unintelligible lyrics; this is hot jumpin' swing with razor sharp horns, big, fat grooves and the hippest lounge-style vocals this side of the casino circuit.

Make no mistake; this is no gimmick. These cats blow the roof off the joint with enough swagger and swing to make Frank, Sammy and Dino proud. The whole clambake starts with a bang as the title cut comes on like gangbusters. Check out the ace tremolo pickin' on the hard swinging "Zip Gun Bop (Reloaded)" and the Krupa-esque hide-beatin' on "Big Boss Lee" and you'll know these cats aren't just frisking the whiskers. Other hip licks include a jumpin' "Stormy Weather" and the hottest "Salt Peanuts" since Dizzy himself. Get your mitts on this killer-diller, put on your best threads, grab your main squeeze and get ready to cut a rug until early bright. It's a gasser.

Recorded at Royaltone Studios and One On One Recording, North Hollywood, California.

Engineers: Jeff Hendrickson, Lee Herschberg.

Personnel: Royal Crown Revue (background vocals); Eddie Nichols (vocals); James Achor (guitar); Mando Dorame (tenor saxophone); Bill Ungerman (baritone saxophone); Scott Steen (trumpet); Dave Rollicke (trombone); Daniel Glass (drums, percussion); Alex Desert, Gregory Lee, Kincaid Smith (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Jeff Hendrickson; Lee Herschberg.

Recording information: One On One Recording, N. Hollywood, CA; Royaltone Studios, N. Hollywood, CA.

Photographer: Mando Gonzales.

Arranger: Bill Ungerman.

Royal Crown Revue: Eddie Nichols (vocals); James Achor (guitar, background vocals); Mando Dorame (tenor saxophone, background vocals); Bill Ungerman (baritone saxophone, background vocals); Scott Steen (trumpet, background vocals); Veikko Lepisto (bass, background vocals); Daniel Glass (drums, percussion, background vocals).

Additional personnel: Dave Rollicke (trombone); Alex Desert, Gregory Lee, Kincaid Smith (background vocals).

Rolling Stone (10/1/98, p.70) - 3.5 Stars (out of 5) - "Snazzy fedoras and a brass section can't hide Royal Crown Revue's tough-guy heart....they rock, mastering complicated beats at fast tempos, using horns for gallivanting hooks more than for gratuitous honks..."