Dead Boy Productions

Royal Crown Review - El Toro
Review by Pavel

If you have never heard of Royal Crown Revue, here’s a hint! Do you remember a movie called “The Mask”? There is a scene, where Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz jump and jive to a song called “Hey Pachuco!”? That’s right, it’s Royal Crown Revue! Being around since 1989, these LA hepcats are the pioneers of the swing revival movement, with a totally unique sound and style. Mixing ‘classic American music’ from the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s with modern genres like rock and even punk, they have released album after album and made swing popular again all over the world. “El Toro" is Royal Crown Revue’s last studio recording to date since the 2004 “Greetings From Hollywood”. Its six songs cover all the musical range of the band, from big band swing (“It’s a Good Day”) to Frank Sinatra-like ballads (“Brazil”) and mariachi songs. Opener “El Toro” wears its name pretty good. With its Spanish guitars, mariachi horns and bull-fighting lyrics, you have everything to make you feel like assisting to a corrida. Other standout track is the Royal Crown Revue rendition of Neil Diamond’s classic “Solitary Man”, which will make you want to fire up the dance floor with your lady (Or man. Sorry ladies!). The instrumental “Rockville” at the end of this EP shows how good these guys handle their instruments. Keep your eyes open, because Royal Crown Revue could hit a club near you. And that’s a show you shouldn’t miss!