This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Never let it be said Canadians can’t compete in the international music marketplace — now that the swing revival is in full, uh, swing, Canucks are jumpin’ and jivin’ on the bandwagon.
And a few have even been there for a while: both of these Western Canada acts are on their second albums. For their part, Calgary’s Dino Martinis have the corner on the kitschy cool market. Their secret? A dash of cocktail nation (remember that craze?), some jazzy vibes, a seductive chanteuse and a few smirk-worthy covers like Motörhead’s Ace Of Spades and Alanis Morissette’s One Hand In My Pocket. They deserve a toast.
Johnny Ferreira, on the other hand, plays it straight — maybe a bit too straight. Colin James’ former sax man can blow a hot lick with the best of them, but when it comes to songwriting, he’s kind of a Johnny One-Note. And with 11 horn-filled, virtually identical hepcat-boppin’-daddy-o-rock-crazy-chicky-baby anthems, Ferreira veers dangerously close to creating his own style: Big bland jazz.
