Celts and Cobras

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Celts and Cobras
Celtsandcobras.jpg
Studio album by
Released9 May 1982
GenreRockabilly
LabelCuba Libre (Virgin)
The Shakin' Pyramids chronology
Skin 'Em Up
(1981)
Celts and Cobras
(1982)
The Shakin' Pyramids
(1983)

Celts and Cobras is the second and final studio album from the Scottish Neo-Rockabilly group The Shakin' Pyramids (billed on the album cover as "Shakin' Pyramids"), released in 1982 by Cuba Libre, a subsidiary of Virgin Records. "Just a Memory"[1] and "Pharaoh's Chant"[2] were released as singles from the album. It was not as warmly received as the group's debut album, Skin 'Em Up, and they disbanded shortly after its release.[3]

Track listing[]

Side A:[4]

No.TitleLength
1."Pharaoh's Chant"2:42
2."Like Me With No-One"3:48
3."Pretty Neat Come One"2:56
4."Just A Memory"2:29
5."Plainsailin'"2:21
6."Sugar Bee"2:15
7."Rockin' Mystique"2:39

Side B:

No.TitleLength
1."Quit And Split"2:32
2."It Hurts To Be In Love"2:26
3."You Can Bet"1:37
4."Just Rockin'"3:40
5."Ferocious"2:00
6."Who Cares"2:47
7."Reeferbilly Polka"2:23

Reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic3/5 stars[5]
Rolling Stone3/5 stars[6]
Trouser Press(mixed)[7]

Celts and Cobras was seen by some as a departure from the band's original sound, and the group disbanded soon after its release. While debut album Skin 'Em Up had garnered a 5/5 star rating from Rolling Stone, the magazine awarded Celts and Cobras only 3 stars.[6] Trouser Press wrote, "Celts and Cobras offers a higher percentage of their own songs, but on it they're accompanied by piano, accordion, electric bass and even — gack! — a string section. More dismaying is the band's descent into schlock-pop consciousness: instead of Eddie Cochran and Link Davis tunes, we get the Everly Brothers and Gene Pitney. The band still rocks, but they'd better figure out where they're going."[7] AllMusic gave the album 3/5 stars,[5] and opined that "the energy and verve of their debut had been replaced by a stultifying maturity."[3]

Personnel[]

The Shakin' Pyramids[]

References[]

  1. ^ discogs.com. "Shakin' Pyramids, The - Just A Memory". Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  2. ^ discogs.com. "Shakin' Pyramids, The - Pharaoh's Chant". Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b allmusic.com. "Shakin' Pyramids". Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  4. ^ discogs.com. "Shakin' Pyramids, The - Celts And Cobras". Retrieved 2009-09-06.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b allmusic.com. "Celts & Cobras". Retrieved 2009-12-02.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "Celts and Cobras review". Rolling Stone. May 1982.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Trouser Press. "Shakin' Pyramids at". Retrieved 2009-12-02.
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