The Deluxtone - Rockets (CD)

Rockabilly, swing, jump blues, spacy reverb-drenched surf guitar -- the Deluxtone Rockets cover it all on their self-titled debut, but rather than coming off as eclectic fans of the styles they play, they simply sound like they can't decide which trendy retro sound to follow. The impression isn't helped by their leopard-skin/sequin costumes and greaser hairdos, which are presumably intended to reflect a supposed campy tackiness inherent in the musical styles themselves, nor by the fact that they started out as a punk band only three years before making this recording. There are some genuinely engaging moments on the record, but listeners who view the original genres as something more than quaint curiosities with silly slang will probably end up longing for the more faithful, enthusiastic treatments of a Brian Setzer.