Cave Catt Sammy
Love Me Like Crazy

When Cave Catt Sammy first appeared on the scene, they were a raw, uninhibited rockabilly band with four young guys who knew how to slick their hair back real pretty. But in the years that ensued, the band has truly come of age. Their third album, Love Me Like Crazy (Rubric Records), introduces the listener to a more polished sound. In addition to some excellent hooks influenced by Big Sandy's Fly-Rite Boys, the killer opening track, "Gonna Rock and Roll," affirms the presence of Bill Haley's ghost. They still know how to slick their hair back real pretty, too.

The band has been playing together since high school, and the instrumentation is solid. The majority of the album's 14 tracks are originals, and although their sound is not especially inventive, it is certainly pleasing in its energy. Cave Catt Sammy evokes an idea more than they emulate it. The tracks "Doggone, She's Gone" and "Love Me Like Crazy"sound like they could have been on a 45 bought at a small record shop in 1958. There's a timeless style at work here.

Frontman Beau "Sammy" Sample is also the upright bassist, which creates a deep acoustic richness behind a pleasing voice. The vocals are best showcased on the songs "Raining Honey" and "Second Hand Lover." But the band works as a team, and all four members are obviously fans of the music that came out of Sun studios in the 1950s. The songs are crisp, and one assumes the Bryl Cream is, too.

—Frankie Hagan

Visit the band online at http://www.cavecattsammy.com

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