The New Morty Show
Mortyfied!
Slimstyle
Oh yeah! Old-school swing is all about one thing: showmanship. The New Morty Show display that in spades on Mortyfied! Just listening to this record, I can tell that the members of the band put their all into their performances. This record is polished and professional without sounding too slick or over-produced. There’s nothing phony here, just a lot of heart and some strong musical chops cranking out ’40s-style swing with a modern sensibility that’s sure to appeal.
One of the things I like most about the New Morty Show is the way their two vocalists play against each other. The gravelly, Buster Poindexter-esque vocals of male lead Vise Grip blend with the smooth, clear as a bell tones of frontwoman Connie Champagne like rum and Coke. The contrast is stunning, and makes tunes like the jumping opener “Baby What’s Up?” really shine. Each gets a shot at the solo spotlight, too, Grip with the jump blues-styled closer “Caldonia,” and Champagne on the sultry “15 Months in Jail” and the torchy ballad “Blue Martini.” In the sheer fun department, there’s a cocktail jazz version of “Enter Sandman” (yep, that one! They even thank Metallica’s Kirk Hammett in the liner notes), and a big band medley of Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” and “Rebel Yell,” both of which could make you forget the originals! Meanwhile, the band provides rock-solid musicianship. Trumpeter Morty Okin leads a phenomenal four-piece horn section at the forefront of the combo, which is also nicely highlighted by piano, guitar, bass, and drums. Not only do they make the vocal tunes jump, but they get their own simmering showcase on the instrumental showcase “Buddah’s Bounce.”
Overall, I don’t know how anyone could be anything less than impressed with the New Morty Show. You could probably power a small city on the energy captured on this CD. This is music designed to have you dancing until the dawn’s early light. Can’t wait to see `em live! Slimstyle Records, 3400 E. Speedway, Suite 118-272, Tucson, AZ 85716; http://www.slimstyle.com
