The Crazy Tones – She’s Got What It Takes
Tombstone Records – Tomb-Disc 678[1989]
You Better Believe – She’s Got What It Takes – Mister Cop – Baby Blue – You – Lonely Street – I Never Let You Down – Rhythm – Whispering Love – Bye Bye Blues – Macho Man – Dream – Don’t Ever Say Goodbye – Broken Heart Blues – The Door To My Heart – Cause I Love You
The Crazy Tones were formed in 1985 when Remi Groot met Jacco Buchholz. They enlisted the services of a friend of Jacco named Beerke to play the drums. They recorded various demos and appeared on a compilation with two titles (“Rockabilly Party” and “Let’s make some love”) recorded under the supervision of Boz Boorer. In 1988, Beerke left the group and was replaced by Ritchie Adams. The following year, they recorded “She’s Got What It Takes,” their first (and only) album for Tombstone Records.
The album is very representative Neo-Rockabilly from the late 1980s. The guitar has a clear, sometimes synthetic sound, and we can hear jazzy influences in addition to the usual Cliff Gallup and Mark Harman style, which is a plus. The double bass is well highlighted, and fans of the instrument will particularly enjoy the track “Rhythm.” The drums, often played with brushes, are more subtle but they fulfill their role perfectly. The singing is quite good, although it sometimes lacks finesse in the slightly slower pieces, especially at the end of phrases.
The album mainly consists of mid-tempo tunes, creating a very danceable and lively result. “Macho Man” is a bit wilder, reminiscent of the early Ricochets. What sets the group apart is their willingness, like good artists of the 1950s, to include ballads (such as “Lonely Street,” “You,” “Dark Lonely Street,” and “The Door To My Heart”) that count among the album’s best tunes.
Ultimately, while not revolutionizing the genre, “She’s Got What It Takes” features enough good songs and original ideas to be considered a mini-classic.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
