VARIOUS ARTISTS:
Ultra Swank - Cacophone Sampler '99 (Cacophone Records)
By: Alex Steininger
With twenty-two bands and twenty-seven tracks (twenty-eight counting the hidden track), Cacophone Records have provided fans of garage, rockabilly, and rock music a collection of their artists which will give them a good taste of what the music is about as well as a taste of what they can expect if they pick up other Cacophone bands.Jack Black starts things off with his brand of rockabilly on "Drive Them Wheels." Greaser rock it is, you'll be swinging and moving to this delightfully dance-able, swank rocker. Speed Devils' "Showdown" gets the blood pumping with some garage rock, while The Turbo A.C.'s give you a taste of garage/punk on "Fired Up."
Of course, as you continue on down the path of rock 'n' roll, the music keeps blaring at you with wild, anxious anticipation as your blood boils at the sounds of the devil's music (AKA rock 'n' roll). The Frampton Brothers' rock out with their glitter and gold mixture of punk, Glam, and slicked back, not-too-cool rock 'n' roll on the album standout, "Dressing Room." More garage-rock comes your way with The Erotics while the Defectives serve up CBGB's New York style rock.
If you're in the mood for some good rock 'n' roll, whether it be punk, rockabilly, garage, or another rock off-shoot, Cacophone seems a great place to start. This compilation simmers and shakes with rock excitement because, well, its all non-stop rock for nearly seventy-four minutes. I'll give it a B+.
