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]
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where they're going."[7]AllMusic gave the album 3/5 stars,[5] and opined that "the energy and verve of their debut had been replaced by a stultifying maturity."[3]
