Flash Cadillac And The Continental Kids - Flash Cadillac And The Continental Kids (2022) [Hi-Res]

The phenomenal success of the movie American Graffiti spawned renewed interest in '50s and '60s rock & roll. Sha-Na-Na became the most prominent of the oldies bands, but it was Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids who both appeared in that influential film and on its soundtrack (with the delightful "She's So Fine," also included on this, their debut album).

Where Sha-Na-Na slavishly recreated '50s music, Flash Cadillac conveyed more of the wild abandon of early rock & roll attitude, whether covering familiar oldies or newer material. The choice of covers is inspired, and the performances are uniformly excellent. By capturing an authentic feel, Flash Cadillac makes familiar material like "Pipeline" and "Endless Sleep" sound fresh. The elegant Brill Building pop of "Crying In the Rain" and the movie track, "She's So Fine," ashowcase their tight vocal harmonies, while two originals by piano player Kris "Angelo" Moe fit in seamlessly with the cover songs, demonstrating real, skilled pop songcraft.

From the opening blast of "Muleskinner Blues," Flash and the Kids establish that their approach isn't sedate or polite. Where Sha-Na-Na was the cartoon version of the archetypal oldies rock & roll group, Flash Cadillac was the J.D. B-movie equivalent. ~ James A. Gardner