Kyle Lacy The Record Hop
New Yorker by way of Altanta musician songwriter Kyle Lacy is releasing a new album this week, The Record Hop. Before reading any further into this review, look at the cover, let it soak in. The artwork, the colors, Kyle in midair. I don’t think there’s ever been an album cover that’s more clearly captured the music within – vibrant, bluesy, jazzy, rockabilly-y, early rock inspired snap, sass, and fun with moments of smokey drama.
The album opens with the very compelling, groovin’ uptempo blues rockabilly song with saxophone, horns, and grooves galore, to whet your appetite, titled “One Trick Pony,” and it opens into the lyrics: “She comes with a warning…When I put on my fancy pants she said no no baby I like you in them jeans… I’ll be a one trick pony just as long as you need me to.” A fun hook into the rest of the album.
“More Than That!” brings things down and a little darker with a swaggery song complete with horns, and ode to the one who keeps pushing you away and trying to pull you back again: “you said that I was evil, said that I was rude … you said you love me but it’s gonna take more than that to turn me around.”
It’s variations of the Twist on “Cryin’ and Shakin.” Excellent work on this arrangement, it’s light with flash and sparks. It goes full-throttle with serious dance floor appeal as the fireworks fly off your hips and toes. These guys are heavy hitters in a sock hoppin’ good time.
Kyle counts off on the more spritely “Lucky Ducky” with its welcome guitar melodies among the horns and the heartfelt but whimsical: “I’m not playin’ games with you girl, I’m just a lucky ducky.”
On “Love Spectator,” Amanda D’Amico takes lead vocals in a sultry, jazzy slower number: “straight up or on the rocks it don’t matter with me… a little touch a little kiss it was just for play.” Then, with “Everlasting, Everchanging” the love story is back out in the open with a full celebration. The whole album is classy.
The songs throughout The Record Hop are finger snapping new classics and most of them will have your leaping like Kyle on the cover to wild horns and guitars. Some even have doo wah harmonies. The dramatic ones sprinkled in sparingly will still have you doing an exaggerated slow dance just to catch your breath. Find the music here: https://linktr.ee/kylelacymusic and more information here on his website: http://www.kylelacymusic.com
Musicians on The Record Hop are Kyle Lacy on guitar and lead vocals; Amanda D’Amico on backup and lead vocals; Manny Williams on bass (1-4, 6, 8,9); Trevor Brown on bass (5, 7, 10); Joe Cosmo Cogen on drums (1-4, 8, 9); Luke Markham on drums (5-7); JC Myska on drums (10); Billy Aukstik on trumpet; Cole Stone-Frisina on sax; and Robby Schwartz on organ and piano.
The album was produced by Kyle Lacy; engineered by Joseph Kyle (Tracks 1-4, 8,9), Billy Aukstik (Tracks 5,7), Kyle Lacy (Track 6), and Richard Salino (Track 10); and mixed by Kyle Lacy with Billy Aukstik, except “What is Hip?” which was mixed by Richard Salino. It was mastered by Dan Millice with photos by Isaiah Headrington.
All songs were written by Kyle Lacy except “Everlasting, Everchanging” by Ifedayo and Kyle Lacy; “Two to Tango” by A. Hoffman and D. Manning; and “What is Hip?” by E. Castillo, S. Kupka, and D. Garibaldi.