Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Acoustic Surf Tones - Live At The Cutting Room NYC November 27 2004
 | Like a merger between the beat generation and the wipeout children, the Acoustic Surf Tones play surf-oriented instrumentals with two amplified acoustic guitars, sax, flute and bongos. If you like the Duo-Tones, this will suit you as well. Nicely recorded. |
Picks: Diamond Head, Black Widow Spy-der, Ridin' The Cheap, Snake Charmer, The Stranger, Tequila Sweat, Baja
Track by Track Review
Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
"Diamond Head" works oddly well in this setting, with an inland feel and imagery. Folkies and beatniks looking at surfers Waimea in National Geographic! Quite fun.
Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
John Barry was born of beat-gen influence, and spy jazz was the rule, so there's a natural foundation for this. The sax and flute are very creative, and the song is inspired at least. Imagine Herbie Mann at the Village Gate wearing baggies.
Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
Very folk-oriented, though more dramatic than the majority of such songs. Infectious and very cool. Part of the melody is from something else I can't place at the moment.
Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
"Snake Charmer" (9th Wave) is exotic and slithery, with great flute lead and a dramatic exotic guitar and bongos. Images of hot desert nights and sweaty writhing dancers around a campfire are everywhere. What a wonderful track. It even has a "drum break."
Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
The fire of the loins seems to lurk in this dramatic instro. It grows on you as it evolves. The two guitars pump off each other, and though the lead is less dominant than the rhythm, the song works very well.
Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
Ostensibly about the conflict between the hangover and digging the ditch, "Tequila Sweat" moves slowly through the dull fog of a headache, all the while moving forward because it must. This is a great 9th Wave song that works extremely well in this arrangement.
Acoustic Guitar (Instrumental)
Lee Hazelwood's "Baja" is always great to hear. In acoustic form, it still calls to the surf. There are deviations from the original notes that give it a dissonant feeling.