Music: The Baseballs - Strike

So apparently Rock 'n' Roll is back.

I've never been one to don the bobbie socks and do the twist, but when I heard The Baseball's cover of Beyoncé's Crazy in Love I was pleasantly surprised.

The result of a chance meeting in a German heavy metal club, The Baseballs have come out of the blue to blitz the charts with what the band is calling 'Voc-and-roll'. Complete with sleek rockabilly quiffs and with more than a few pairs of blue suede shoes between them, Sam, Basti and Digger are on a mission to "take good songs and lead them to their true calling."

Strike is the band's first album and takes a rip roaring roll from covers of Beyoncé to Plain White Ts and Usher to Robbie Williams, and all with a completely feel good, golden fifties slant. I can't help dancing. For me, the tracks that work the best are Crazy in Love, Umbrella and Hot n' Cold. Who would have thought that the unmistakeable sound of the 50s close harmony, shoo-wop choruses and walking bass lines could transfer so well to contemporary pop music. One thing I will say is that Robbie Williams' Angels may be a bridge too far, but one out of twelve is a pretty impressive freshman offering.

I'm looking forward to what is still to come - perhaps a rock'n'rollin' version of Dizzee Rascal's Bonkers? And in the meantime, I'm going to practise my forelocks styling and swing my hips at every opportunity!

My rating: **** 4/5 stars
Recommendation: Whack it on, turn it up, dance and smile. I don't need to tell you. It will just happen!