The first time I heard Jimmy Ray's hit single, "Are You Jimmy Ray?" it annoyed the hell out of me. The song had dumber than dirt lyrics, all variations on the fact that his last name is Ray (Are you Johnny Ray? Faye Wray? Stingray? Martha Raye? Charlotte Rae? etc., etc., etc., ad nauseum...)

But then as I continued to hear it, a really weird thing happened. The song wormed its way into my subconscious until I actually came to enjoy it, stupid lyrics and all.

Jimmy Ray's debut album has nothing else as dumbly catchy on it, but it really isn't half bad. Jimmy Ray explores the previously unheard of (or at least understandably unexplored) marriage of hip hop and rockabilly. And you know what? It jams.

The album is about as weighty as a feather, but it's not bad at all as light entertainment. (5/98)