Album Review:

Like many 'groups' in the genre, the Vettes were not an actual band but yet instead another studio creation in the vein of the Catalinas, the Super Stocks, and the Knights  - this time under the creative control of saxophonist Steve Douglas. Other players on here were Gary Usher, Dick Burns, and future Beach Boy Bruce Johnston.

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"Little Ford Ragtop" is a great little number with a lead handled by Bruce Johnston that bares Douglas' distinctive saxophone. "Devil Driver's Theme" is full of spooky sound effects, while "Happy Ho-Daddy (with a Rag-Top Caddy)" is perhaps the album's best vocal moment.  The Steve Douglas composition "Chevey Scarfer" (sic) is little more than filler. The instrumental "Devil Driver's Theme" gets a vocal makeover by Johnston, followed by "Voodoo Green Part I; presumably taking its name from the line in "Driver." "4.56 Stingray" is another strong vocal track audibly backed with Gary Usher, Dick Burns, and of course, Bruce Johnston. Finally, the long-awaited second of half "Voodoo Green" shows up, followed by Douglas' "Superstock Vette," which had previously appeared as "Flash Falcon" on Capitol's Hot Rod Rally compilation album. "Cheater Slickin' Time" boasts some grungy guitar work, though it says nothing that hasn't been said before. Again another track from Hot Rod Rally appears, "Woody Walk" - now titled "Shutdown King" loses its horn overdubs and actually seems to fit quite well among the newer tracks. The vocal "'55 Bird" is an excellent closer.

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As far as hot rod albums go, Rev-Up is pretty standard fare. It's interesting to note that most of these tracks were also released on the Astronauts' Competition Coupe with the same arrangements and keys. Yet even with the blatant copying, the Vettes still manage to put forth a solid album.