The Yalloppin’ Hounds – Ghetto Swing Extreme!

1999 Ghetto Philharmonic Music
SQ Issue:  Spring 2000 - Volume 10, Issue 2

The Yalloppin’ Hounds are:
G-Clef da Mad Komposa (Scary Hound) – alto saxophone, vocals; Lord Sledge (Posh Hound) – trumpet, vocals; Queen Esther (Tough Hound) – vocals; Jeremy Bacon (Zen Hound) – piano; Herman X (Militant Hound) – tenor saxophone; Lee “Ali-Baba” Alexander (Mystery Hound) – bass; Kenny “Vietnam” Bolds (Crazy Hound) – drums.

This CD has everything you would expect from a band from New York City.  Tough, high energy, and solid musicianship. 

There are quite a few gems in this CD and a couple clunkers, too.  It opens with Hot Dog, a nice tempoed song that will get you on the dance floor.  It has a great sax solo and wonderful breaks. 

You’ll find really good dance songs in Flat Foot Floogie, Daddy Make It Feel Good (after the 1:13 intro) Ghetto Swing and Oops, My Bad!, a song about “a mistake that is commonly made when one consumes a bit too much alcohol or smoke:  in this case engaging in an unintentional sexual romp with your best friend’s girlfriend.”   Like I said, everything you’d expect from a band from New York City! 

The low points of this CD are Nobody Knows, Song For the Romantically Nrequited and Where Have You Been?  All of these are ballads with Queen Esther.  She seems to really be outside of her comfort range as far as her vocals in these songs.   Once again, the musicianship is solid but these tunes don’t measure up because you can feel the strain as Queen Esther sings.  She does much better on Flat Foot Floogie, where the vocals seem much better suited for her range. 

The musicians get to jam on Ghetto Swing and King of the Mall.  Both are long songs, 8:03 and 10:05 respectively, but both really let the band cut loose.   Everyone gets the opportunity to shine, which they all do. 

Overall, this CD is a keeper.  You should find lots of entertainment value as far as dancing goes.  Put this one on your wish list.

Bottom Line:  To buy or not to buy…BUY!