The Amazing Crowns

OK, say you're in a small band which has just been forced to change its name because of a conflict with a better known swing outfit. What do you do? If you're part of the Amazing Crowns, you go on tour and kick some ass, promoting your self-titled (well, sorta) debut album in the process.

Originally known as The Amazing Royal Crowns, which is the name that can be found on their release, this foursome from Providence, Rhode Island has built up a reputation for delivering fiercely energetic live shows. Currently in the midst of a seven week stint with the Reverend Horton Heat, the band is fulfilling its goal of "spreading blood, sweat and grease across the U.S.A." through its mix of punk, rockabilly, and old skool rock.

The Amazing Crowns are driven by their vocals man, Jason Kendall, who deftly combines the hiccuppy whoops reminiscent of Jerry Lee Lewis with Jon Spencer's bravado. Kendall is backed by J.D. Burgess on guitar, Judd Williams on drums, and Jack Hanlon on a mean string bass. Together, they tear through the fourteen songs on their album in just over half an hour--the longest song by far is a mere three minutes long.

The Amazing Royal Crowns was first released on the East Coast indie label Soundproof/Monolyth, and then subsequently reissued by Velvel Records. Originally recorded over a span of two days in 1996, the album is raw enough to effectively capture the feel of the Crowns' raucous live shows, with minimal post-production work done on the sound. Their music evokes the style of the past, especially with the slap of the upright bass combined with the unmistakable twang of a large, hollow Gretsch archtop guitar--the band even includes an instrumental track as homage to its sound, aptly titled "Gretschy." Kendall's vocals contribute to the flavor, with his lazy drawl and a solid use of echoes on the mic, such as when he whines, "I've been cryin' racetrack tears / I've been chasin' you for years" in "1965 G.T.O."

The band, however, is by no means heading up a '50s rockabilly greaser revival. As Kendall notes, "We appreciate the sensibilities of the '50s, but we live in the '90s," which is apparent in the Crowns' love of pure, unadulterated punk rock noise. Sure, they have the bass and guitar, but no '50s crooner ever would have risked shredding his throat like Kendall in order to shout over a blistering guitar riff. As a result, the Crowns' sound is adaptable enough to work well with many other musical styles, allowing the band to tour with a variety of acts, including the likes of Brian Setzer, the Pietasters, Social Distortion, and even G. Love and Special Sauce.

The Amazing Crowns' album is as fun as it is loud, and could easily serve as the soundtrack to a wildly out-of-hand party--and perhaps even start that mayhem in the first place. My favorites include "Do the Devil," where Kendall gloats he's the Evil One over a sassy horn section and guitar riff that sticks in the head, and "Rollercoaster," which the band dedicated to Johnny Cash.

Unfortunately, the listener looking for more variety may find The Amazing Royal Crowns a bit of a disappointment. While the Crowns' sound is one-of-a-kind, it is also apparently their only kind. The band does not know the meaning of the word slow, and fails to throw any surprising change-ups into the play list. Of course, what they lack in depth, they make up for in noise and good, greasy fun.

So, say you're in a small band powered by enough adrenaline to kill a horse, and you're forced to change your name. Going on tour and kicking some ass just isn't enough to atone for the wrongs done to you. So, if you happen to be in a band newly renamed the Amazing Crowns, you also sell t-shirts that bitterly proclaim, "Still Royal to the Loyal."