SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY / GRAPEFRUIT MOON (2 LP) (VINYL)

      Southside Johnny has been fronting one of America's most consistently hard-rocking show bands, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, for well over 30 years, so this album should come as something of a surprise to longtime fans -- here Southside sings a dozen tunes from the songbook of Tom Waits alongside a jazzy, full-bodied big band led by Richie 'LaBamba' Rosenberg, who is a longtime fixture in the Asbury Jukes horn section.It's not accurate to say Southside Johnny and Waits sound exactly alike, but Southside Johnny's gravelly, raspy and growling voice is tailor-made for exploring the Tom Waits songbook, his voice takes on a majestic quality which brings a new nobility to the Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan songs covered here.We discover that the music of Waits is suited for the swing and big band treatment that Southside Johnny gives it on 'Grapefruit Moon'. Songs such as the 'Temptation' and 'Please Call Me Baby' show why these compositions fit well into the swing genre. First of all, the songs have wonderful lyrics. Secondly, the melodic structure of these songs are perfect for being played as a swing tunes - especially if the band is tight. And LaBamba's Big Band is very tight.Is this rock and roll Not quite, but it's got a beat, it swings hard, and it boasts a great singer and a great band working their way through a first-class set of songs; 'Grapefruit Moon' is an experiment that succeeds, and this 180 gram LP release has it sounding bigger and better than ever. 180 grams audiophile vinyl Gatefold Sleeve.