Brush Creek Blvd. by Crazy 8's

Pros: Uh, let's see...it's music of sorts
Cons: This is NOT the REAL Jazz/Ska/Funk Pacific Northwest Crazy 8's!

I don't mean any disrespect to THIS band, but if you're looking for the nuclear-powered Ska band from the Pacific Northwest, this is NOT them. The REAL Crazy 8's quit playing, more or less, in the late 1990s, and unfortunately this band has taken the same name.

I bought this album a few years ago, and it was like getting a Sweet Tart candy placed into your mouth when you were expecting a chocolate malt Whopper. This was definitely NOT what I was expecting, and the anticipation of an opposite flavor made things even worse.

To be fair, it seems like this band has tried to differentiate themselves for consumers by calling themselves "The Crazy Eights" - spelling out the word, rather than using the number. However, this band's first album is mis-identified as The Crazy 8's just about everywhere.

By the way, the real Crazy 8's have recently (November 2004) re-released a new album of their early work: Law and Order, 20th Anniversary Edition, and it is fantastic; I'm planning to write a comprehensive review soon.

The REAL Crazy 8's now have a web page, although there's not much there, yet: www.crazy8stheband.com