Description
Attack of the Screamin’ Rays! is the sole album by the American rockabilly combo The Screamin’ Rays, released on Metro Vox in August 1999, a sub-label of Metro One Recordings. The album was produced and recorded by Gene Eugene of Adam Again fame at The Green Room in Huntington Beach, California. Mixed by Eugene at Front Page Studios in in Glendale, California. Cover artwork by Douglas TenNapel.
For the members of the Screamin’ Rays, the concept of a Christ-centered jumpin’ “swingabilly” act was a long-awaited dream brought to life by Metro One Records A&R Rep, Chris Lizotte. He introduced the idea to the record company staff who were ecstatic over the idea. What resulted was an assembling of an all-star line up of Christian roots musicians from Southern California and, subsequently, the formation of the Screamin’ Rays debut release, Attack of the Screamin’ Rays. All the members of the Rays were active in the SoCal roots music scene – from traditional juke-joint blues bands to Jay Leno’s Tonight Show Band. “I really believe there is a gaping hole in the Christian music industry that needs to filled by a rockin’ swing and rockabilly act. I think the Lord brought these guys together for that purpose and they fill the need perfectly,” says Lizotte. The Rays is much more than an offshoot into a dead-ended musical fad. It’s really a conglomeration of all the members favorite types of music. Explains frontman T-Ray: “We had all been taking our knocks and paying dues musically for a long time. We all knew that this was the right thing to do – play together for the Lord. An opportunity came along to play our favorite music – the stuff we were raised on – and to minister to People.
The revival of old, seemingly antiquated forms of pop music over the past couple of years has had its highs and lows. The emergence of swing-influenced bands such as the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and others, has had a positive influence on the radio airwaves, taking over from the overworked ska clichés. Unfortunately, as with any new craze, many of the swing revival bands have had very little going for them by way of talent (vocal abilities are definitely more important here than in rock) or feeling (if it doesn’t have the right feel, it just isn’t swing) and so have fallen flat.
Many major groups of this swing revival, such as the Brian Setzer Orchestra, are guitar-based. And it’s guitar-based swing/rockabilly/roots rock of this type that we find on The Screamin’ Rays’s debut disc. This is a band which comes from a fine pedigree. Such notables as singer Crystal Lewis (C-Ray), drummer David Raven (Gamma Ray/David Rayven, depending where you see his name), guitarist Chris Brigandi (Sting Ray, formerly of the Lifters and Wild Blue Yonder), bassist Jonny Ray Bartel (Jonny Ray) and Christopher Rex Harvey (X-Ray, guitars) make up this talented band. Lead singer and principal songwriter “T-Ray” Meier has the right vocal nuances and inflections to do the genre justice and the band simply nails the various styles, from the Cab Calloway cover «We the Cats» to the country-tinged «Why Are You Cryin».
Guest players include producer Gene Eugene on keys, steel guitar whiz Greg Leitz, and a horn section of Doug Webb and Sal Marquez on a few of the tracks, most notably «Someday» and «Mr. Happy Go Lucky». «Going On Home» has a nearly big-band feel in its intro, thanks to the influence of the horn section.
A good deal of this album’s styling and packaging trades in the fact that the music is supposed to sound like it’s from the 50s. And, it largely succeeds, even reinterpreting classics like «Don’t Wanna Go There» and «Glory Glory Hallelujah» along the way. About the only other recent band that this release brings to mind is The Stray Cats, also noted for their retro-50’s style.
When a musical style is revisited by a band that is from another era, and has a different ethos, sometimes something can be lacking in the interpretation. Overall, however, this album is consistent in tone and in focus, and seems to be spot on. The only exception being the occasional heavy-guitar overtones (as in «Glory Glory Hallelujah», where it would definitely be a hard rock tune had the guitars been mixed down differently). For fun, spiritually uplifting music, though, it’s hard to knock this album. Here we have a very talented band making the music they want to make and having a ton of fun doing it. It’s easy to get caught up in that sense of fun.
As a final note, an added bonus for all the CD-ROM owners who get this album is the on-disc Bible software and interactive band promo, another nice little touch in what is certainly one of the better albums I’ve heard in a while. [Alex Klages, The Phantom Tollbooth, 9/26/99]
Potted and extremely incomplete history! A long time ago back in the early ’80s, a 15 year old Crystal Lewis fronted a Lone Justice-inspired rockabilly cowpunk band called the ‘Wild Blue Yonder‘. They released a couple of albums, went to Greenbelt and then disintegrated and Crystal went solo. Years later the heart of that band are still playing rockabilly/swing and with the current swing revival, that sound makes them fashionable once more. Signed to Crystal’s Metro One label and featuring the lady herself guesting on vocals here and there, the time has come for the world to beware for the ‘Attack Of The Screamin’ Rays’ is upon us! Swing music is the hottest fad in the USA so expect a flurry of swing albums in the next 12 months but bands will be hard pushed to beat this! This bounces alongs in nifty fashion and fair makes me want to search the charity shops for a zoof suit! Yes, it’s good enough to make Rimmer throw sartorial elegance to the wind! From the tub-thumping, horn-buzzing opening «Someday» featuring Ms Lewis on vocals through to the dying chords of «Ghost Of Your Love», this is a magnificent album! Moments of ingenuity include the twisted anti-Gospel of «Don’t Wanna Go Down There» about avoiding hell, the fun jive of «We The Cats» complete with shout along chorus and the sheer pace and life of «Mr Happy Go Lucky». The presence of Crystal certainly helps but this is one fun band that has put the smile back on the face of Christian music and a jaunty step back into the feet. Slap it into your stereo and swing swing swing! [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, August 1999]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-attack-of-the-screamin-rays/311026914)
CD tracklist:
01. Someday – 3:48
02. Don’t Wanna Go Down There – 3:17
03. Mr. Happy Go Lucky – 3:48
04. Been Takin Chances – 3:48
05. We The Cats – 3:15
06. Why Are You Cryin – 4:44
07. Going On Home – 2:52
08. Glory Glory Hallelujah – 4:20
09. It’s Alright – 3:24
10a. Ghost Of Your Love – 20:49
10b. Untitled Hidden Track
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Metro Vox.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.