Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » The Atomic Fireballs: Torch This Place

137

The Atomic Fireballs: Torch This Place

By

Sign in to view read count
The Atomic Fireballs: Torch This Place
Nouvue Swing. This is a fad. This is not really swing music per se. It is the jump blues as defined by the likes of Louis Jordin. For real swing music, look elsewhere. It might have began with Brian Setzer, metastasizing to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the Cherry Poppin’s Daddies, and on and on, ad nauseum. What is on this Atomic Fireballs disc is what I would define as “Acid Swing”. This new swing is characterized by twelve bar blues and vaudeville rag music forms. What makes this “Acid” is the voice of John Bunkley, an instrument that can only be likened to single malt poured over broken glass.

Two & Three Part Inventions All of the music is what one would expect. The music all in fast tempo and the lyrics wryly clever. The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies had “No Mercy for Swine”, and the Fireballs have “Caviar and Chitlin’s” and “Hit By a Brick”. The accompaniment of all of all the tunes is competent if not a bit studio slick. Regardless, the music does move to your feet and make them tap.

Are We Having Fun or What?. The major problem with this disc is the length. Forty minutes is less than half the capacity of modern CDs. These guys could have done better than this. Couple this with the fact that the majority of this music was previously released on the band’s original disc Birth of the Swerve (Hepcat) and it can make the more particular listener squirm. However, this music is so fun and irreverent, just go ahead and get it and swing, swing, swing.

Track Listing

Man With the Hex; Mata Hari; Swing Sweet Pussy Cat; Caviar & Chitlin

Personnel

John Bunkley: Vocals; Duke Kingins: Guitar; Eric Schabo: Tenor Saxophone; James Bastch: Trumpet; Tony Buccilli: Trombone; Randy Sly: Piano; Shawn Scaggs: Acoustic bass; Geoff Kinde: Drums.

Album information

Title: Torch This Place | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: Atlantic Jazz

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.