Ignition!

1	Ignition 3:01
2	5 Years, 4 Months, 3 Days 3:06
3	Hell Bent 3:33
4	Hot Rod Girl 2:05
5	8-Track 4:07
6	'59 4:34
7	Rooster Rock 2:58
8	Santa Rosa Rita 3:04
9	(The Legend of) Johnny Kool, Pt. 2 3:20
10	Get 'Em On The Ropes 3:17
11	Who Would Love This Car But Me? 2:44
12	Blue Café 3:51
13	Dreamsville 4:22
14	Malagueña 4:15

Barnes & Noble

Brian Setzer has never strayed too far from his roots, injecting the same sort of finger-popping party attitude into everything from vintage '50s rock to high-class swing. But for this energetic disc, the pompadoured guitarist has given most of his orchestra a rest, stripping it down to a trio and racing full-throttle through a smartly crafted set of short, sharp songs that visit just about every port on the seas of good-time rock 'n' roll. While there's a good bit of old-school rockabilly within Ignition's grooves -- most notably the swankly swinging "Rooster Rock" and the greased-lightning grabber " '59" -- Setzer pulls out all the stops on this far-reaching disc. The Mexican-tinged ballad "Santa Rosa Rita" is both fluid and warmly evocative, while "Dreamsville" struts along in vintage doo-wop style, with bassist Mark Winchester and drummer Bernie Dresel joining in on three-part harmonies. Whether you're a fan of Setzer's six-string flash (which is in full effect on "Hell Bent") or his decade-jumping hepcat flash (the cherry on top of the bopping "Who Would Love This Car but Me"), this disc should hot-wire your nervous system. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Brian Setzer has enjoyed a 20-year career as pop music's most consistent champion of rockabilly, first as the leader of the Stray Cats in the 80s, followed by solo stints, and a then by a resurgence in popularity in the late '90s fronting a swing orchestra. Setzer's latest incarnation is a return to a trio, named the Brian Setzer '68 Comeback Special. If the name represents homage to Elvis, the trio's disc, Ignition!, represents a return to purist rockabilly. Unlike the outings fronting his swing orchestra, there are no horns or swing standards on this disc. In fact, the absence of any covers is a departure for Setzer. Except for the traditional Spanish instrumental "Malagueña," Setzer writes all songs with help from collaborator Mike Himelstein. Joe Strummer of the Clash, who has worked with Setzer in the past, contributes to "Who Would Love This Car but Me." As expected, the songs are populated with gum-cracking gals with fast engines, hot rod's, guitars, and late-night regrets. At first listen, the disc seems sparse compared with the manic swing of Setzer's orchestra and his crooning falsetto standards. But the more you listen to Ignition!, the more it lights a rockabilly fire. Setzer has truly returned to his roots and produces an amazingly rich sound with the trio. Snappy snares and standup bass buoy his revving guitar and smoky vocals. "Hell Bent" is an atmospheric ode to Johnny Cash's hell-bent drifters. "8-Track" is gleefully country, with rollicking twangy guitars and yodeling. Rave-ups like "5 Years, 4 Months, 3 Days," "Santa Rosa Rita," and "Get 'Em on the Ropes" continue Setzer's mission to not just preserve rockabilly, but to keep it alive as a fresh form of music. His guitar playing is effortless and joyful. At times, the quaint lyrics lose their novelty, but the passion and love of the music is so apparent the lyrics are secondary. Theresa E. LaVeck