Flash Cadillac Albums (6)
'Ghost of Christmas Past'
Release Date 11/5/1996
Tracks 11
Label Resounding
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Night at the Symphony'
Release Date 10/31/1994
Tracks 13
Label Resounding
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Sons of the Beaches'
Release Date 1/1/1975
Tracks 14
Label Private Stock
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What The Critics Say
For their third album, Flash Cadillac masterfully recreates the breezy California pop of the mid-'60s. Beach Boys comparisons are inevitable, especially given that they open the album with an expert cover of "Summer Means Fun," originally recorded by Bruce Johnston, a Beach Boy himself, and sometime Beach Boy producer Terry Melcher. They also manage two satisfying Beach Boys homages with the original (Kris Moe) compositions that follow it, "Time Will Tell" and "It's a Summer Night." "It's a Summer Night" may be the pinnacle of Flash Cadillac's recording career, with outstanding vocal and instrumental work by the group set against flawless '60s production values. Two tracks by Hondell Richard Burns -- the oldie "Come On Let's Go" and a new song, "Good Times, Rock & Roll" -- fit into the program nicely. Another Moe original, "I Wish You'd Dance," brings some sparkle to the album's second side, but "It's Hard (To Break the Ice)" is bland, and the closing "Rock and Roll Menace" is pointless and dull. With a few more top-quality tunes, this album could have been a 10. As it is, Sons of the Beaches is a refreshing, well-executed evocation of a golden age of pop songwriting and record making. ~ James A. Gardner, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Anything was bound to be a disappointment after their promising debut, and Flash Cadillac's second album certainly has some sophomore slump about it, despite several strong points. Some of the album's inconsistency is likely due to the fact that the planned production team of Leiber and Stoller didn't work out; drummer Toxey French reportedly handled both producing and engineering. Oddly, the lead track (and single), "Dancin' On a Saturday Night," came from British songwriters most often associated with glam rock. "Dancin'" is extremely catchy, but does set a more restrained tone than found on most of their first album. The oldies they cover, too, are not near the standard of their debut: Leiber and Stoller's "Message from Garcia" is one of the songwriters' lesser efforts, and their take on "Youngblood," (recorded for the band's appearance on the TV series Happy Days) sounds rushed and thin. "Rock and Roll Heaven" (with lyrics saluting '50s rockers, unlike the Righteous Brothers' hit version) is extremely poppy, with outstanding vocals, whereas "A Fool Like You" is as bad a song as was ever foisted off on the band, and sounds painfully out of place. As on the band's debut, Kris Moe contributes a couple of listenable originals. Despite a few clunkers, not bad, but not up to their potential. ~ James A. Gardner, All Music Guide
'Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids'
Release Date 1/1/1973
Tracks 11
Label Epic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The phenomenal success of the movie American Graffiti spawned renewed interest in '50s and '60s rock & roll. Sha-Na-Na became the most prominent of the oldies bands, but it was Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids who both appeared in that influential film and on its soundtrack (with the delightful "She's So Fine," also included on this, their debut album). Where Sha-Na-Na slavishly recreated '50s music, Flash Cadillac conveyed more of the wild abandon of early rock & roll attitude, whether covering familiar oldies or newer material. The choice of covers is inspired, and the performances are uniformly excellent. By capturing an authentic feel, Flash Cadillac makes familiar material like "Pipeline" and "Endless Sleep" sound fresh. The elegant Brill Building pop of "Crying In the Rain" and the movie track, "She's So Fine," ashowcase their tight vocal harmonies, while two originals by piano player Kris "Angelo" Moe fit in seamlessly with the cover songs, demonstrating real, skilled pop songcraft. From the opening blast of "Muleskinner Blues," Flash and the Kids establish that their approach isn't sedate or polite. Where Sha-Na-Na was the cartoon version of the archetypal oldies rock & roll group, Flash Cadillac was the J.D. B-movie equivalent. ~ James A. Gardner, All Music Guide
