Opening with a cover of The Kinks' 'Sunny Afternoon', Drake Bell is far from the generic pop singer many may have expected after coming from one of Nickelodeon's most popular shows in history - Drake & Josh.
It is in fact the influence of rockabilly that this record's laced with, as a mixture of original material and covers - including Queen's 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' (which probably shouldn't have been touched) - are sang through in quick succession.
He sounds at his best on songs such as 'Bull' and lead single 'Bitchcraft' when the tempo is ramped up a notch and his cheeky attitude comes across, without painting him in a negative light.
Slower songs may take a few listens to get into. 'I Won't Stand In Your Way' may feature vocals that you can't fault, but ultimately it's a little less interesting than the other tracks on offer here.
Fantastic piano playing comes on 'Makes Me Happy', and as a whole the album displays talent on all levels. Production from Peter Collins and executive producer Brian Setzer means that this sounds like an old-school vinyl record, and that's by no means a bad thing - it all adds to the authenticity of what's on offer.
'California Man' is a superb stand out, letting you believe the song is coming to end multiple times before things kick up once more and you're instantly drawn back in.
This is the soundtrack to all those scenes you see on television and film where the characters have a moment of spontaneity upon hearing rockabilly music, lining up - females on one side and males on the other - before they join together for three minutes of pure fun.
On the whole it's a very strong debut in this genre from Drake, doing well to prove his versatility. He's moved on from giving the public what they expect in a refreshing take on some recognisable tracks and interesting originals.
'Ready Steady Go!' is available now in the USA and has a UK release date of May 26 through Surfdog/Membran Records.
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