Track Listing

1. Contender
2. Walkin' Like Brando
3. Zip Gun Bop (Reloaded)
4. Big Boss Lee
5. Friday the 13th
6. Stormy Weather
7. Morning Light
8. Salt Peanuts [Instrumental]
9. Work Baby Work
10. Everyone Knows You're Crazy
11. Port-Au-Prince (Travels with Bettie Page)
12. Deadly Nightcall [Instrumental]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19682 in Music
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 1998-08-25
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
Before there were khaki-pantsed swing dancers on TV and zoot-suited clubgoers in every major American city, Royal Crown Revue plied their proudly retro sound and look in underground L.A. nightspots. But what began as a curiosity blossomed into a national sensation. With The Contender, RCR are back to claim their title as the Johnny Appleseed of swing. Name-checking the right cultural icons (including Marlon Brando and Bettie Page) and covering a variety of classic tunes, from a breezy doo-wop take on "Stormy Weather" to a hard-boppin' version of the Dizzy Gillespie classic "Salt Peanuts," the group has clearly done its homework. Original tunes such as the single "Zip Gun Bop (Reloaded)," "Big Boss Lee," and the title track rock harder than the songs of the era they mean to emulate but are impressive nonetheless. This isn't the musical equivalent of your father's Oldsmobile. Your grandfather, on the other hand, would think it's just swell. --Daniel Durchholz

Rolling Stone
[Royal Crown Revue] rock, mastering complicated beats at fast tempos, using horns for gallivanting hooks more than for gratuitous honks.

USA Today
On its fourth album, the L.A. septet continues mining jazz and big-band traditions, but shakes and stirs the genres with feverish tempos, punk edges and blasts of rockabilly.

Customer Reviews

Hoppin'
I've always loved swing music and RCR is one of my favorite bands. There is no end of fun to their music; every song is distinctive and high-energy. They evoke one of my favorite eras with the 1940s musical vibe and the name-dropping of such celebs as Marlon Brando ("Walkin' Like Brando") and Bettie Page ("Port-Au-Prince", a favorite). I have CDs by several well-known swing bands, and Royal Crown Revue - specifically "The Contender" - is the one I always come back to.

Good, solid contemporary swing album. You'll find no filler here.
Nice album. Great beats, good energy and and nice crisp original sound. This type of swing music, is great to play at parties, from start to finish.

These guys sounds like a modern rendition of the old swing bands from the 30's and 40's. If you are open to hearing something different, that has a pulse, I would strong recommend this album.

Also, if you like this album, check out Royal Crown Revue's previous album, "Mugzy's Move". A great album as well.

Combination 1, 2, to your ears
If you loved everything prior to this album you will the contender. RCR puts together amazing expert jazz musicianship with the cool lyrics. Best track is travels with Betty Page. Dedicated to my favorite Pin-Up queen.