Ah yes, the world-famous rockabilly sound of Portsmouth, NH. Hey, it doesn't matter where they're from; when a band has put this much homework and devotion into their retro sound, regional inflections disappear entirely. Recorded live in the studio using a daunting array of vintage microphones and amplifiers ("Distortion, hum and other noise achieved organically"), and produced by retro rock doyen
Deke Dickerson,
Rock'n'Roll Party is a delightful trip back in time to the days of
Elvis and
Jerry Lee, when the fusion of white country music and black R&B was still exciting and new. Most of the songs are originals, but all of them evoke the late '50s perfectly; gems like "Hit the Town," "Pretty Brown Eyes," and "Annabelle" could have all been recorded at Sun Records. Special kudos to lead guitarist Amy Griffin, whose playing is a catalog of period licks and a shining example of rockabilly tone, and to bandleader Kevin Patey, whose songs are the same. Note the authentic half-hour album length! ~ Rick Anderson