40 (Stray Cats album)

Last updated
40
Stray Cats - 40.png
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 24, 2019
Recorded2018
StudioBlackbird Studios (Nashville, TN)
Genre Rockabilly
Length35:39
Label Surfdog Records
Producer Peter Collins
Stray Cats chronology
Original Cool
(1993)
40
(2019)

40 is the ninth studio album by American rockabilly band Stray Cats, released in May 2019 by Surfdog Records. It is their first studio album in 26 years since Original Cool in 1993. [1] The album was recorded, mixed, and mastered in Nashville, TN.

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [2]

Joe Bosso of Guitar Player said: "The album brims with bracing, stripped-down rockers like 'Cat Fight (Over a Dog Like Me),' 'Mean Pickin' Mama' and 'Devil Train,' and every track boasts a widescreen riff and virtuoso guitar solo. But the band also serves up some new sounds with the riff rocker 'Cry Danger' (co-written with Mike Campbell)and the punk-like 'I'll Be Looking Out for You.'" [3]

Kenneth Partridge of Billboard said: "Four decades later, Stray Cats are ready to 'Rock It Off' with the same three basic ingredients they've always used: Setzer's twangy Gretsch guitar, drummer Slim Jim Phantom's elemental thumping and Lee Rocker's expertly slapped upright bass…On the standout 'Cry Danger,' the Cats venture out of their '50s comfort zone and move boldly into '60s garage-rock territory. The track features an intro guitar riff that'll make any Beatles fan instantly think of 'Day Tripper.'" [4]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Cat Fight (Over a Dog Like Me)"Brian Setzer, Mike Himelstein2:14
2."Rock It Off"Setzer, Himelstein2:59
3."I've Got Love If You Want It"Setzer3:04
4."Cry Danger"Setzer, Himelstein, Mike Campbell 3:09
5."I Attract Trouble"Setzer, Himelstein3:42
6."Three Time's a Charm"Setzer, Himelstein2:07
7."That's Messed Up"Setzer, Himelstein3:56
8."When Nothing's Going Right"Lee Rocker (as Leon Drucker)3:01
9."Desperado"Setzer2:55
10."Mean Pickin' Mama"Setzer2:40
11."I'll Be Looking Out for You"Setzer2:35
12."Devil Train"Setzer3:17
Total length:35:39


Personnel

Stray Cats

Charts

Chart (2019)Peak
position
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA) [5] 39
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [6] 25
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [7] 26
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [8] 16
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [9] 26
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [10] 7
French Albums (SNEP) [11] 17
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [12] 6
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [13] 20
Scottish Albums (OCC) [14] 27
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [15] 19
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [16] 7
UK Albums (OCC) [17] 53
US Billboard 200 [18] 93

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Setzer</span> American singer, songwriter (b. 1959)

Brian Robert Setzer is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He found widespread success in the early 1980s with the 1950s-style rockabilly group Stray Cats, and returned to the music scene in the early 1990s with his swing revival band, the Brian Setzer Orchestra. In 1987, he made a cameo appearance as Eddie Cochran in the film La Bamba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stray Cats</span> American rockabilly band

Stray Cats are an American rockabilly band formed in 1979 by guitarist and vocalist Brian Setzer, double bassist Lee Rocker, and drummer Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York. The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia, Canada, and the U.S. including "Stray Cat Strut", "(She's) Sexy + 17", "Look at That Cadillac", "I Won't Stand in Your Way", "Bring It Back Again", and "Rock This Town", which the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has listed as one of the songs that shaped rock and roll.

<i>Anthology 1</i> 1995 compilation album by the Beatles

Anthology 1 is a compilation album by the Beatles, released on 20 November 1995 by Apple Records as part of The Beatles Anthology series. It features rarities, outtakes and live performances from the period 1958–64, including songs with original bass player Stuart Sutcliffe and drummer Pete Best. It is the first in a trilogy of albums with Anthology 2 and Anthology 3, all of which tie in with the televised special The Beatles Anthology. It contains "Free as a Bird", the first new Beatles song in 25 years, which was released as a single two weeks after Anthology 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slim Jim Phantom</span> American drummer

James McDonnell, known by the stage name Slim Jim Phantom, is the drummer for Stray Cats. Alongside bandmates Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker, he spearheaded the neo-rockabilly movement of the early 1980s.

<i>Rant n Rave with the Stray Cats</i> 1983 studio album by Stray Cats

Rant n' Rave with the Stray Cats is the third studio album by American rockabilly revivalist band Stray Cats, released in 1983 by EMI America. It was produced by Dave Edmunds. The album featured the No. 5 hit "(She's) Sexy + 17", Top 40 hit "I Won't Stand in Your Way" (#35) and "Look At That Cadillac" (#68).

<i>Gonna Ball</i> 1981 studio album by Stray Cats

Gonna Ball is the second studio album by American rockabilly band Stray Cats, first released in the UK by Arista Records in November 1981. The album was produced by the band and Hein Hoven. It went silver in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Rocker</span> American double bass player (born 1961)

Lee Rocker is an American musician. He is a member of the rockabilly revival band Stray Cats.

<i>Brand New Day</i> (Sting album) 1999 studio album by Sting

Brand New Day is the sixth solo studio album by English musician Sting, released by A&M Records on 27 September 1999. Promoted heavily by the success of the album's second single, "Desert Rose", the album peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 and sold over 3.5 million copies in the United States. Upon its release, Brand New Day was a critical and commercial success, and hailed as commercial comeback for Sting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stray Cat Strut</span> 1981 single by Stray Cats

"Stray Cat Strut" is the third single by American rockabilly band Stray Cats, released April 17, 1981 by Arista Records in the UK, where it peaked at No. 11 on the Singles Chart. It was taken from the band's 1981 debut album, Stray Cats. That same year, as an import, it peaked at No. 78 on the US Disco Top 80 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock This Town</span> 1981 single by Stray Cats

"Rock This Town" is the second single by American rockabilly band Stray Cats, released January 30, 1981 by Arista Records in the U.K., where it peaked at No. 9 on the Singles Chart. It was taken from the band's 1981 debut album, Stray Cats.

Phantom, Rocker & Slick was an American rock band active in the mid-1980s. The bandmembers were drummer Slim Jim Phantom, bassist Lee Rocker, and guitarist Earl Slick. Phantom and Rocker had previously played together as members of the Stray Cats. They released two albums, Phantom, Rocker & Slick and Cover Girl, on EMI Records before disbanding.

<i>Apocalyptic Love</i> 2012 studio album by Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators

Apocalyptic Love is the second solo studio album by guitarist Slash. However, it is also the first studio album billed to Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators. The band features vocalist Myles Kennedy, bassist Todd Kerns and drummer Brent Fitz in addition to Slash on guitar. Produced by Eric Valentine, it was released on May 22, 2012.

<i>Awakened</i> (album) 2012 studio album by As I Lay Dying

Awakened is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It is the final album released by the band before their hiatus in 2014. The album was released on September 25, 2012, through Metal Blade Records. The album was produced by Bill Stevenson and recorded at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado and Lambesis Studios in San Diego, California. On June 22, 2012, the album title, release date, and first single were announced. On June 25, the first single "Cauterize" was released for free download and became available online for purchase the following day. On June 27, a lyric video for "Cauterize" was released along with album artwork, also the band created an event on Facebook inviting fans to participate in a music video shoot for "A Greater Foundation". Fans were able to pre-order a copy on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival tour of 2012.

<i>Choo Choo Hot Fish</i> 1992 studio album by Stray Cats

Choo Choo Hot Fish is an album by the American rockabilly band Stray Cats, released in 1992. The first single was "Elvis on Velvet". The band supported the album with a North American tour.

<i>Rockabilly Riot! All Original</i> 2014 studio album by Brian Setzer

Rockabilly Riot!: All Original is the ninth solo studio album by American musician Brian Setzer, released on August 12, 2014. The album features 12 new songs, including "Let's Shake", a single released by Setzer earlier in 2014.

<i>Battle Cry</i> (Judas Priest album) 2016 live album by Judas Priest

Battle Cry is the sixth live album by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 25 March 2016. It was recorded at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany on 1 August 2015 during their Redeemer of Souls Tour. The album was released as both a standalone title and a bundled package containing the DVD version.

<i>Bohemian Rhapsody</i> (soundtrack) Soundtrack from the 2018 film, Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody: The Original Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the Queen biographical film of the same name. The soundtrack features many of the band's songs and unreleased recordings including tracks from their legendary concert at Live Aid in 1985. The soundtrack was released by Hollywood Records and Virgin EMI Records on 19 October 2018, on CD, cassette and digital formats. The soundtrack was later released on 8 February 2019, as a vinyl double album specially cut at Abbey Road Studios. A limited and much sought after double picture disc edition of the album, as well as a 7" coloured single featuring the original "Bohemian Rhapsody"/"I'm in Love with My Car" pairing, was also released on Record Store Day, 13 April 2019. The disc artwork takes its inspiration from the photography of Denis O'Regan. In November 2019, the soundtrack received an American Music Award for Top Soundtrack.

<i>Rock Therapy</i> (Stray Cats album) 1986 studio album by Stray Cats

Rock Therapy is the fourth studio album by American rockabilly band Stray Cats, released in August 1986 by EMI America. It was produced by Stray Cats. The album reached the No. 122 position on the Billboard 200 chart but failed to chart outside the U.S. Singles released from the album include "I'm a Rocker" and "Reckless". Rock Therapy was released as a reunion album after Setzer's solo effort, The Knife Feels Like Justice, and the trio of Phantom, Rocker and Slick self-titled LP.

<i>Tuscaloosa</i> (album) 2019 live album by Neil Young and the Stray Gators

Tuscaloosa is a live album by Canadian-American musician Neil Young, released on June 7, 2019, on American record label Reprise Records. It is Volume 04 in the Performance Series of Neil Young Archives.

<i>Walk the Sky</i> 2019 studio album by Alter Bridge

Walk the Sky is the sixth studio album by American rock band Alter Bridge, released on October 18, 2019 via Napalm Records. It was produced by the band's longtime collaborator Michael Baskette, who has produced all of the band's albums since 2007's Blackbird. The album's first single, "Wouldn't You Rather", was released on June 28, 2019. A second single, "Pay No Mind", was released on July 25, 2019, with four further singles, "Take the Crown", "In the Deep", "Dying Light", and "Godspeed" later released. The album's cover art was designed by Dan Tremonti, brother of guitarist Mark Tremonti; its packaging was designed by Sturge Media and Janus Music Mgmt. Along with the announcement of the album's release, it was also revealed that the band would embark on a European tour with Shinedown, Sevendust and the Raven Age towards the end of 2019.

References

  1. "Stray Cats Brand New Album '40' is Available Everywhere". straycats.com. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  2. "40 - Stray Cats - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  3. Bosso, Joe. "Brian Setzer Talks '40,' The Stray Cats' First New Album in 25 Years". GuitarPlayer.com.
  4. "Brian Setzer Talks Stray Cats Reunion, Premieres New Tune 'Rock It Off'". Billboard.
  5. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. June 3, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  6. "Austriancharts.at – Stray Cats – 40" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  7. "Ultratop.be – Stray Cats – 40" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  8. "Ultratop.be – Stray Cats – 40" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  9. "Dutchcharts.nl – Stray Cats – 40" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  10. "Stray Cats: 40" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  11. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 22, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 2019-06-18. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Stray Cats – 40" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  13. "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2019-06-03" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  14. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  15. "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 26: del 21.6.2019 al 27.6.2019" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España . Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  16. "Swisscharts.com – Stray Cats – 40". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  17. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  18. "Stray Cats Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2019.