Celts and Cobras


Celts and Cobras is the second and final studio album from the Scottish Neo-Rockabilly group The Shakin' Pyramids, released in 1982 by Cuba Libre, a subsidiary of Virgin Records. "Just a Memory" and "Pharaoh's Chant" 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.

Track listing

Side A:
Side B:

Reception

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. 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." AllMusic gave the album 3/5 stars, and opined that "the energy and verve of their debut had been replaced by a stultifying maturity."

Personnel

The Shakin' Pyramids