The band Davina & the Vagabonds is so into being retro that they even divide their cd into a “Side A” and “Side B” even though there are no sides! They’ve got the attitude, but they’ve also got the chops. Davina Sowers has an earthy rockabilly type voice, and she also sits behind the keyboards, along with the band of Daniel Eikmeier/tp, Benjamin Link/tb, Connor McRae Hammergren/dr-perc, Andrew Burns/b-sphone and guests Zach Miller/vib and Tony Balluff/cl. They do a handful of pre-Beatle mixes of pop with R&B on “I’d Rather Drink Muddy Waters” and “You Must Be Losing Your Mind” and Sowers comes off convincingly. Music that reflects the last time teenagers danced without bumping and grinding are displayed on the peppy “Sunshine” and “I Try To Be Good” which have snapping horns that punctuate like 8th grade grammar book and catchy riffs from the tight rhythm section. Going back, but looking forward.
Roustabout Records