''Rant n' Rave with the Stray Cats'' is the third studio album by American

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre, it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western musi ...

revivalist band

Stray Cats 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 ...

, 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).

Critical reception

In a contemporary review for ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...

'', music critic

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...

gave the album a "B−" and said that its "bigger and rawer" sound was an improvement over "''Built for Speed''s prettification", but felt that, despite his improved guitar playing,

Brian Setzer Brian Robert Setzer (born April 10, 1959) 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 ...

was a poor songwriter and "a preening panderer, mythologizing his rockin' '50s with all the ignorant cynicism of a punk poser". In a retrospective review for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...

said that the album "sounded identical" to ''Built for Speed'' and was just as strong because of the hits "(She's) Sexy + 17" and "I Won't Stand in Your Way".

Track listing

All tracks composed by Brian Setzer; except where indicated #"Rebels Rule" #"Too Hip, Gotta Go" #"Look at That Cadillac" #"Something's Wrong With My Radio" (Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom, Lee Rocker) #"18 Miles to Memphis" #" (She's) Sexy + 17" #"Dig Dirty Doggie" #"I Won't Stand in Your Way" #"Hotrod Gang" #"How Long You Wanna Live, Anyway?" (Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom, Lee Rocker) #"Lucky Charm (Ooh Wee Suzy)" (Japan Release Bonus Track)

Personnel

- guitar, vocals * Lee Rocker - bass, vocals * Slim Jim Phantom - drums * 14 Karat Soul - background vocals * Mel Collins - saxophone * Geraint Watkins - piano *David Thurmond - background vocals *Russell Fox II - background vocals *Gavin Cochrane - Photography

Charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control Stray Cats albums 1983 albums EMI America Records albums Albums produced by Dave Edmunds