Artist:     Jersey Swamp Cats

Album:     Go Cat Go!

Label:     Self Released

Release Date:     1.8.2019

88

BUY DIGITAL

BUY PHYSICAL

Rockabilly always seems to be the overlooked, dithering but welcome musical cousin. It treads a fine line between so many other genres, falling below the grinding wheels and gears of full-on rock ‘n’roll and dabbling at times with honky-tonking country music, swampy New Orleans rebellion too. By turns, it ventures into the reedy fringes of blues, where it is generally and effectively trounced by the sheer weight of tradition. And yet it does have its place. In reality, few dislike it so it manages to avoid the pitfalls of ‘love it or loathe it’ that can all too often permeate musical tastes and fashion, limiting response and popularity of bands and performers.

With the Jersey Swamp Cats, we have a four-piece outfit that works the rockabilly sound expertly, a band that is confident and self-assured as each of the eleven tracks here testify. A handful of songs come from the band itself, while the remainder are pretty much standards in the genre including the likes of “Jump, Jive & Wail,” “I Get Evil,” and “Blue Monday.” Overall, the album hangs together well, with no dead-wood or wearisome cuts that could have you reaching for the skip, fast-forward or stop button. No, this is enjoyable, toe-tapping, sort-of dance-along stuff, delivered with quality, purpose and drive from start to finish.

There can’t be many who don’t enjoy a bit of rockabilly from time to time and for those that do, the Jersey Swamp Cats and Go Cat Go! should easily hit the mark with its shades and echoes of swampy Louisiana and high-blast energy rock ‘n’ roll equally at home in the merry mix. Get out there, grab that Brylcreme and those crepe-soled shoes, go on, give it a go!

—Iain Patience