Stay Cats “40”

We missed the Stray Cats when they were originally around. Luckily, we were introduced to them a few years ago and soon realised why they hold legendary status in the music world. That meant we were excited to hear they were reforming and even better releasing new material.

The title of opening number “Cat Fight (Over A Dog Like Me)” is probably enough to tell you they’ve lost none of their style or sense of fun. Indeed, hearing tracks like “Rock It Off” and “I’ve Got Love If You Want It” is a bit like meeting an old friend in a bar. You instantly feel at ease and just happy to be spending time in their company again.

This isn’t just some retro release though, the band still sound as fresh now as they did back in the day. Actually, tracks like “Cry Danger” and “I Attract Trouble” remind us of The Kat Men, a band that Slim Jim Phantom was in with Darrel Higham. That seems kind of appropriate given that Darrel has done more than anyone else to keep rockabilly in the public eye.

This album is just full of the great rock n roll sound that you’d expect from The Stray Cats. It’s impossible not to fall for the laid-back strut on tracks like “Three Time’s A Charm”, “That’s Messed Up” and “When Nothings Going Right”. Whilst the dirty, rock n roll of “Looking Out For You” is a great reminder of what a brilliant guitarist Brian Setzer is. Together with final track “Devil Train” it’s also makes it clear that The Stray Cats really know how to rock out with the best of them.

Rockabilly is a tough genre. Given its reliance on a fifties style and sound, it’s no wonder that bands can often seem quite dated or just ‘retro’ sounding. All of which makes the Stray Cats so special. Their material just transcends both time and genres and remains relevant. That’s true of their older hits and the tracks on this new album. If, for some reason, you haven’t fallen for the charms of the Stray Cats then this is the perfect opportunity to put that right.