The retro-swing revival of the late ’90s often owed a portion of its style to early rock & roll as well as swing and jump blues, and no one is better proof of that fact than ex-Stray Cat Brian Setzer. In light of his success, it seems only logical for his former bandmates to get in on the act, and both Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom are present and accounted for in the Swing Cats, along with ex-Polecats guitarist Danny B. Harvey. On their self-titled debut, the band covers artists as diverse as Carl Perkins, Hank Williams Sr. (“Mind Your Own Business”) and Benny Goodman, with vocals supplied by an array of guests (Tim Polecat, Claudia Cummings, Jamie James, etc.). The energy might flag here and there, and a permanent lead singer may be in order, but overall, the group’s respect for the music makes this one of the better such projects around. – Steve Huey
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