AMG Review of Caught in the Act

Ross Boissoneau
All Music Guide

The Royal Crown Revue is one hot little band. Here the sextet roars through a set of originals and jump swing standards in a live performance. The band is all swagger and attitude. But while the vocals can tend toward a sing-song sameness of spoken-word rapping, the horns and rhythm section constantly rev things up. On tracks like "Park's Place" and "The Mooch," the band really cuts loose, especially the horns. Other highlights include "Barflies at the Beach" and the band's signature tune, "Hey Pachuco!" which the group performed in the film The Mask. Not as solid as the band's major-label debut, but enjoyable.