Some reviews about "Swingin' & Swayin'."

It's been my pleasure to work and hear some of the best Rockabilly bands that have been around for the last twenty-odd years. Never does music give me so much pleasure, however, than when 1 see and hear a band for the first time that really knocks me out. The last time that happened was at a gig in Germany on January 25th, 2003. On the bill that night was a band we had not heard of before called The Grapestompers. Right from the start of their set it was apparent that we were watching something very special. The musicianship was absolutely superb, as were the stage antics and vocal ability of the group's frontman, Par Jansson. Their set that night had all of us in the large audience totally transfixed. After meeting with them at the end of the evening, I was surprised to hear that they had not recorded a CD of the material I'd been listening to that night. It was decided on the spot that we had to do something about this glaring musical omission to modern-day Rockabilly history!
A demo CD was passed onto us all here at Foot Tapping Records, much delight and frivolity was had by all that heard it, and a deal was struck to get these guys back in the studio as soon as humanly possible. What you have here is the finished result: Fourteen of the best contemporary Rockabilly/Hillbilly Swing/Country Bop - call it what you will - that you're ever likely to hear. Their self-penned songs sit so nicely alongside the covers that you'd have thought that they were all classics. It also says something for the band that they have such an original and unique style for this music that it will be difticult for you to tell who wrote what!!
The Grapestompers hail from Sweden - a country with a wonderful grasp of Americana-styled 'Roots' music - so it's of no surprise that the calibre of musicianship in involved is of the highest order. Double bassist Ulrik Jansson and guitarist Mange Elmiund formed the band in October 1998, and were quickly joined by singer/guitarist Par, with Lars Thulin completing the line-up on drums. Busy times ensued with tours of Denmark, Germany, Belgium, and France, whilst in-between somehow finding time to play festivals in their native Sweden. Very soon they will get busier. As soon as this CD is released it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that The Grapestompers will probably be in-demand for evermore. They deserve it.....

Darrel Higham - October 2003

The Grapestompers ''Swingin'' & Swayin'''' CD - An excellent debut album from a fabulous 4-piece who play uptempo rootsy Rockabilly with a country twang. Mightily impressive stuff which is sure to catapult The Grapestompers up the billing on the Rockabilly scene. They are winning fans in high places already, with guitar-man Darrel Higham endorsing them via his liner notes.

Rauccous records

Svenskt rockabilly/rock´n´roll-gäng vars CD faktiskt är släppt på det underbara Foot Tapping Records. Plattan är inspelad i Tambourine studion i Malmö med Micke Herrström som producent. Resultatet är en platta som sticker ut. Grapestompers spelar med ett härligt gung och driv. Lite lagom opolerat och stadigt förankrat i klassisk rock´n´roll, men utan att slaviskt vara ett retroband. Ståbas, trummor och två gitarrer utgör grundsättningen och till plattan har de även lånat in en steelgitarr. Skivkontraktet förmedlades av Darrel Higham efter att han hade sett dem live. Att den mannen har god smak är ju ingen nyhet och ta mig tusan om inte Grapestompers aspirerar på den svenska rock´n´roll-tronen.

Country-rock specialisten