Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Dougie Barron - Surf Trax
 | Lots of sampled intros and injected verbiage in a project that sounds like a home studio creation. The songs suffer from a lack of melody, but are well crafted and generally well arranged. More than half of the album is trance for surfers I suppose - generally not particularly captivating. This is proof-positive that song titles rooted in surf do not surf music make. |
Picks: Peter Kelly Must Surf, Big Day At Rudy's Head, Purple Longboard
Track by Track Review
Rock (Instrumental)
Dry rock rhythm guitar with drums and bass wait for occasional lead guitar lines. Not exactly melodic - more like accents. A few brief moments of double picking. With a bit of surf feel, but "Waiting For The Sun" is mostly a well crafted rock instro.
Lineup At Larrytown Rock (Instrumental)
"Lineup At Larrytown" opens with bass lines reminiscent of Australia's Beach Nuts or Newport Beach's RippTides, but quickly drops into a progression with keys and stereo tremolo throb. Not really much more than riff rock.
Surf (Instrumental)
High energy, big drums and cool percussion. The drive and pace successfully mask the barely melodic song for a solid rock experience. It's a short blast of aggression, fuzz, and angst. "Peter Kelly Must Surf" is really all about the percussion.
Rock (Instrumental)
"Single Fin Soul Surfer" is a slow, atmospheric number with airy keys and echoed guitar playing an endless pattern occasionally punctuated by big chords. Spooky and dungeonous at times, with some nice percussion.
Offshore Rip Rock (Instrumental)
Thrashy rock metal overdose grind with grinding chords and riffs. "Offshore Rip" is not melodic, but rather is based on the evolving speedy riffs. Hypnotic in a loud grating way.
Mighty Left Rock (Instrumental)
"Mighty Left" is a dark song with an evil sound. Thank goodness it's short.
Rock (Instrumental)
The throbbing stereo tremolo is very cool. The song is more relentless than musical, yet its sound and moody danger are quite compelling. It's not the sort of track that will get you humming, but it is powered by menacing imagery. The midsection is sort of psychedelic, as is the verse that follows, which is drenched in electronic wind and feedback with wah wah. Some lines remind me of early Hawkwind.
Rock (Instrumental)
Tweaky sequenced keys and percussion hypnotically produce a dangerous trance. Designed for the rave, "Purple Longboard" is surprisingly engaging.
Wear A Hood Rock (Instrumental)
"Wear A Hood" is a modestly interesting trance engendered bass thumper. It is no less melodic than most of the songs here, but its arrangement is too predictable for me.
Cow Bay Dawn Patrol Rock (Instrumental)
"Cow Bay Dawn Patrol" is morosely sad, though the flute-keys create an alternate view within.
Psilosybin Session Rock (Instrumental)
"Psilosybin Session" is a slowly evolving dance bummer... not interesting without the lights and loudness of the rave.
Drop In The Barrel
Rock (Instrumental)
This is all about the sounds and not the music... not being a fan of trance and dance, "Drop In The Barrel" just left me flat.
Ashram Wave Booty
Rock (Instrumental)
Slow and psychedelic in a Bollywood sort of vein, "Ashram Wave Booty" would only be interesting if you were chemically altered.
Smile And Wave Boys Rock (Instrumental)
"Smile And Wave Boys" has a post punk dirge feel to it, along with the gimmickry that is much of the "music" labeled "trance" or "club." Not engaging, but it does create imagery of foggy disturbances.
Lazy Surf At Point Pleasant
Rock (Instrumental)
Endlessly repetitious and totally dependent of tools. Slightly jazzy.