BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA Guitar Slinger Interscope Records HENRY MANCINI MEETS Eddy Cochran in a seemingly unlikely collision of big band and rockabilly--and it works just fine. Setzer, late of the Stray Cats, and a tight orchestra romp through standards like "Town Without Pity" and "Mellow Saxophone," with Setzer holding the guitar hot-doggery to a tasteful workout that shows off his band's versatility, letting the saxes wail and the trumpets blare. Clash mastermind Joe Strummer shares songwriting credit on two songs, but most of the tunes are Setzer originals that highlight his growing skills as a writer, especially in stylish retro numbers like "The Man with the Magic Touch" and "Hey, Louis Prima." --Gregory McNamee THE CUSTOMERS Green Bottle Thursday Vapor GARAGE FANS, DON'T let this one slip past just because it's distributed by a major label. "Let me explain my situation/ I'm a man of quiet desperation," sings vocalist Ryan Sexton with conviction, in a voice that's part Rob Younger (Radio Birdman), part Ed Kuepper (Saints) and part Chris Wilson (Flamin' Groovies) but utterly memorable in its own right. And sure enough, his band follows suit with tough three-chord stompers crammed with killer hooks and concise, effective solos. Standouts include a Dictators-like "Drinking Again" (every band should have an alkie-punk anthem, right?) and a Stones-do-Neil Young tale of broken hearts and shattered spirits called "Change Of Heart". Word has it that Young signed the young quartet to his fledgling label because he spotted a kindred fire burning in the band's gut. Fair enough; there's always room for more Crazy Horse-style abandon in this stratified rock world. --Fred Mills Elvis Presley Walk A Mile In My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters RCA/BMG Music OUR DEPARTED KING has been soundly thrashed for the music he recorded during the final decade of his life, which this--the third and questionably final installment in a series of box sets--represents. Yeah, we could live without utterly stupid inclusions like "Froggy Went A Courtin'," but all the post-divorce, Priscilla-directed material also surfaces during this period. The heartbroken Elvis comes through loud and clear with songs like "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" and "I Just Can't Help Believin'," which bare the guts of the caped crusader a hell of a lot better than "Hound Dog" did. The earlier box sets showcase what Elvis contributed to rock and roll; this one spotlights the sad decline of Elvis himself. This is the set for everyone who wishes they'd caught the scarf. --Dave McElfresh

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