Jaguars ‘One And Only’ A Rockabilly Hit

Sun., Oct. 10, 1999

Thor Christensen The Dallas Mor

Rock ‘n’ roll is built on innovation, but don’t try telling that to Kim Lenz and the Jaguars. On the group’s second album, the Dallas foursome make a convincing argument that originality is overrated.

Lenz and the Jags are unabashed rockabilly revivalists, and everything on “The One and Only” reminds you of something else - from the Scotty Moore-style guitar of Nick Curran to the “Killer” piano of Carl Sonny Leyland (on loan from the Fly-Rite Boys) to Lenz’s quavering wail, which sounds like Phil Alvin of the Blasters trying to sound like the ghost of Sun Studio.

Yet for an album that’s so derivative, “The One and Only” feels remarkably fresh. Lenz penned half the CD’s 14 tracks, and on such songs as “Howl at the Moon” and “Stick ‘Em Up Honey,” she hits you smack in the solar plexus with her simple tales of love, lust and liberation.

While Lenz steers the songs with her whooping, whining delivery, Curran fuels the band with blitzkrieg guitar solos and gruff ‘n’ gritty licks. Instead of trying to gussy up rockabilly for the late ‘90s, the Jaguars and producer Big Sandy simply capture the brash spirit that made it so exciting in the first place.

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