Scott Bradlee’s original idea was to create “vintage” versions of modern hits by the likes of Miley Cyrus, thus forming the Postmodern Jukebox. Attitude is everything on this disc, which has liner notes that include recipes for mixing drinks from Old Fashioned to Harvey Wallbangers.
As far as the music…Oh, yeah! There is also music! The sounds give an allusion to the Doo Wop years of American Graffiti, but at least two things seem out of order. One, the attitude is completely amiss; no where is the innocence and optimistic hope. Lots of naughty attitudes are in your face with ironic and snarky attitudes abounding. Second, artists like Casey Abrams, Von Smith, Morgan James, Ariana Savalas and Von Smith all have excellent voices, but the songs themselves almost seem either tongue-in-cheek or simply like little kids playing dress-up for posing as adults.
Exciting, yes, but give me The Orioles, The Flamingos and the Cadillacs as well as Dinah Washington next time around.
Concord Music Group