I’ve never really been a big fan of this kind of old time vocal music. That fact should tell you just how good this is when I say that I really like this album a lot. It’s not my kind of sound, but it’s so good that it drags me kicking and screaming into liking it. I will say not everything here blows me away, but most of it does. This is the first new recording by the Coasters in a very long time. They cover a lot of classic music and make it all their own. This should please long time fans. As I can attest, it’s likely to earn them some new ones, too.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2015  Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.

This old cut gets a tasty treatment here. The vocal arrangement is great.

While this song only works reasonably well for me, I like it better than the Elvis version. I do like the vocal arrangement. This style of music just really isn’t my thing.

Now, this is great. I love this killer tune. They bring a real retro soulful vibe to this old folk number. The vocal arrangement is great, but there’s nothing here that doesn’t work well.

Although this isn’t really my kind of thing, I think it’s a lot of fun. It’s hard not to sing along.

I love the arrangement of this Eagles classic. In fact, I might even like this better than the original. They retain some of that 70s rock sound, but bring some jazz and soul into the mix.

I’m not a big fan of doo wop, so when they bring some of that to this piece, it doesn’t work that well for me. Still, this is energetic and has some great moments.

Starting with the sounds of that dockside, this is a cool rendition. It’s tough (impossible?) to beat the classic version of the song we all know so well. Still, this is a strong take on it.

This soul number gets a pretty traditional arrangement. It’s not bad, but not a standout either.

Old time rock and roll meets jazz and soul on this great rocker. This is another highlight really. I dig the guitar solo.

I like the chorus on this, but the rest of the song just feels a little off to me. Still, it’s entertaining enough.

I love how this song and the opener serve as thematic bookends. I’m not overly enamored with the song itself, but it’s pretty effective.