OK, Grease is a classic film. I’ll admit that even though I personally think it sucks. John Travolta makes me want to hurl. However, the songs in the movie/musical are pretty damn good I’ve got to say. Whether you will publically admit it or not, everyone knows the words to most of the songs, and so everyone’s favourite ska/punk band just had to give them a Gainesville going-over didn’t they?
However, I’m not convinced by ‘Greased’. I love Less Than Jake, I really do, but these 8 covers just don’t do it for me. At just 18 minutes long, and in most record shops a whopping £12 [$16], you need value-for-money. And in my crappy opinion, you don’t get it. ‘Summer Nights’ is a classic. It’s the first song that I think of when I think of Grease, so it’s an apt way to start. It’s fast, and the dual vocals of Roger and Chris work a treat. You’ll definetly be singing along to this one. But just one question boys… where the hell is the ska? This is pretty much a standard punk song, and if it wasn’t for the vocals, could have been produced by any one of the myriad of average pop-punk bands.
‘You’re The One That I Want’ is my second favourite song from Grease, and is the second best song on this CD. Again, you’ll be singing along like an audition for Pop Idol, but where is the ska? No horns, nothing! “You’re the one that I want,” croons Chris, and I guarantee you’ll be proposing to your stereo every time you hear this. But from here on in, it all drops off. ‘Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee’ isn’t very good. It’s just exactly the same as the original version, but speeded up and with a bad Roger vocal. Oh, and there’s no ska…
‘Greased Lightning’ should be superb. But it isn’t. It’s just an obvious cover with no imagination. The first sign of any brass kicks in about half way through, but they’re pretty low in the mix. The clapping bit is great though, stopping the urge to join in is a difficult job. ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ is again spoiled by Roger’s vocal, which is as rough as a badger’s arse. Plus, all you can hear are drums, drums, drums. Oh, and an awful guitar riff which has been lobbed on the top. However produced this should go and sit in a darkened corner and have a think about what they have done. Oh, and if you care, there’s no brass.
‘Blue Moon’ is an anthem, so it would be very hard to spoil it. And not even LTJ can wreck this. It’s by no means anything special, mainly beacuse it’s another pretty straight cover, but still, it’s better than listening to Rammstein… ‘Beauty School Dropout’ is awful. NEXT! ‘We Go Together’ ends a very short record, and thankfully the boys reach for the ska to make a better-than-average version. It could be a hell of a lot better, but at least there’s an element of what LTJ are really all about. And the singalong “always be together” refrain will have you singing along at the end.
So, ‘Greased’ is a good party album that you can dance the night away to. But rather than being classic LTJ, the band have opted for straight cover versions and this spoils the fun. It is the kind of album that you’d rather borrow from your friends than shell out your hard earned cash on. Not Less Than Jake at their best.
Paul Savage.