Rockabilly strikes back!

THE BASEBALLS - "STRIKE! BACK"
(European Top # 5 Double CD 'Celebration Edition')
("Warner Music"; 2CD):

Okay, now some Rockabilly (yes, it's true) for all of you out there. This band and record came up some-time around late 2010 or so for all what I know. This band really hit the market like a bomb and celebrated some sort of a huge success in many (especially european) countries. Especially over here in Germany they grabbed up what DICK BRAVE & THE BACKBEATS kicked off eight or nine years ago with a very huge mainstream chart success, what then BOPPIN' BE carried forth (without that much mainstream success, to be honest) and what today they, THE BASEBALLS, by themselves are doing here in their own way but also comparable to the before mentioned bands. This band played and still plays (still with a lot of success, for all what I know) pretty classical Rockabilly music and it really reminds me from the music, the aesthetic, the spirit, and the style and sound very much of the whole "ESKIMO LIMO" (or, in german, "EIS AM STIEL") movies (maybe you know one or two of them). THE BASEBALLS are a very controversial and heated discussed band in the Rockabilly scene (at least the german part of it and at least for all what I've heard because I don't give a damn about this scene and damn no I'm a part of it), pfff, but I don't care. I don't care if this is a 'true' or just a 'casted' band, if the guys in the band are 'true' Rockabilly folks or just 'casted' fakes, if the guys have a background in dirty Rock & Roll subculture or if they've danced before they've played in THE BASEBALLS in some stupid disco holes to brainless chart mainstream dance pop techno mall music crap, and I don't care if they listen and still dance to it or not in their private lifes still today, nah, I really don't care. It's good music and at least to me today this whole "Keep it true!" bullshit, especially when it comes to this clichè 'arty-gaily' Rocka-/Psychobilly, is just retarded and obsolete crap, there are just more important things in life to think and take care about. If you're a 'hardliner', no matter out of which subculture ever (in this case naturally especially of the Rockabilly and maybe also the Psychobilly scene), you may think different about it, maybe, and if so that's all okay. So, yehp, after this back to the topic: THE BASEBALLS (and even that's pretty cool and funny, but maybe also the only true 'minus point') are just some sort of a cover band. They do cover mainstream chart pop mega hits of today in the above described way of very traditional and 'softy' classical Old School style of Rockabilly and Rock & Roll music, here and there enriched by some cool Barbershop impressions and 'Acapella' music marks. A (btw pretty cool) Stand-Up bass, very full and charismatic and ELVIS PRESLEY like vocals as well as cool traditional CHUCK BERRY styled guitar playing and a very relaxed drum work are the ingredients of this music, and they do play it very well-versed and also with truly a lot of really much heart and soul and passion, yes, and that's  very cool. They do covers of such 'bands' and 'artists' like (if I spell some names not correct then please forgive me this mistake/-s) for example JENNIFER LOPEZ, KATY PERRY, RIHANNA, LADY GAGA (the total bullshit song "POKER FACE", and damn it, they truly make a really great hymn out of it), ROBBIE WILLIAMS, LEONA LEWIS, SQUISSOR SISTERS, THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS, etc. pp. and many more of "top" 'bands' and 'artists' like this. No need to discuss the original songs and 'bands' and 'artists', nah, but THE BASEBALLS are doing a damn good job here, they really understand to make damn good versions out of this bunch of originally crap songs, and especially when it's "Party Time!" this whole concept works out great and strong, but also when you're alone just spending a relaxed time, or when you're with your girlfriend/women making yourself together a great evening or when you're driving around with your car making some noise, yehp, THE BASEBALLS will help you having a nice time. It's nothing you should or could take all too serious but who cares (and I think the band itself isn't taking it all too serious and this is making this all pretty sympathic), it's all nothing really anyhow fascinating-grapping new but who cares, it's all truly very 'soft' but who cares, it's just some pretty funny and cool and good stuff and that's the only thing you should care about. This is some sort of a rerelease version with a cool bonus CD, a new artwork (the original one looked way better), and all is coming with all lyrics (don't ask me if they've changed something everywhere compared to the original ones, I could just tell ya that they've changed the lyrics of the THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS song "DON'T CHA" quite a bit) and all in a great production sound. There's also already a new album of THE BASEBALLS out and I think it's again still just filled with cover songs (maybe thinking about changing this in the future, could help to take it all more serious and creating and keeping a own identity... even it would maybe cause some 'back-growing' mainstream success) and what I heard was also again some really cool and funny entertaining stuff so maybe also check their new album (titled "STRINGS'N'STRIPES") already out. If you're looking for some nice, funny and damn cool, not too serious at all Rockabilly of the most traditional way of style and sound then check THE BASEBALLS out and open yourself some brews and have a good time with it. (They would get one point more, but hey, they're just a cover band so come on...) So all in all they get the following rating and I truly recommend them and especially this CD to you anyhow anyway, at least if you like the here delivered and above described music and if ya do not take all too serious... Yes, so if that's the case, then damn check it out!!! (7 of 10 points)

(http://www.myspace.com/thebaseballs)

If it all works out like it should then you should now get the official clip to the THE BASEBALLS version of the KATY PERRY song "HOT'N'COLD" so that you can draw your own picture of this Berlin based Rockabilly band, so yes, enjoy it if you like to, I like to. Ah, and like I've already mentioned one or two times before do yourself the favor and don't take it all (and maybe your oh so beloved and 'true' scene and maybe also yourself like the big 'scene-chief' you definitely are) too serious, then you'll (maybe) have a good time.

THE BASEBALLS - "HOT'N'COLD" (KATY PERRY-cover)