Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Beach Boys - Surfin' Safari / Surfin' U. S. A.
 |  This two-fer compiles Surfin' Safari and Surfin' U. S. A., which contain a half dozen instros. It's neither vital nor necessary, but it's part of the history. Even at this early stage, the attention paid to the instrumentals was minimal. |
Picks: Moondawg, Misirlou, Stoked, Honky Tonk, Surf Jam, Let's Go Trippin'
Track by Track Review
Garage Rock (Instrumental)
This song require either high intensity performance, or extreme precision displayed pristinely. Neither are here. It's a tepid rendering of the Derry Weaver composition from the Gamblers sessions. It's not bad. In fact, it's listenable, and even enjoyable, but you won't miss it if you don't own it.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is an extremely dry, light weight, sloppy metered, and an almost energy free rendering. The performance does not inspire, and is placid. It's not bad, it's just free of the expected excitement of this song in the surf idiom. The inconsistent meter and pick attack really stand out.
Surf (Instrumental)
This track sports is a nice progression, and a simple melody line. It's mostly rhythmic, and sounds like the studio required them to "play quietly," as was the standard of the day among the white lab-coat boys. "Stoked" is perhaps the Beach Boys best original instro.
R&B (Instrumental)
Uninspired rendering of the Bill Doggett classic R&B groove instro. Clean, but not very interesting.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is probably the most energetic of the Beach Boys instro sessions. It is mostly a jam, as the title suggests, but it is infectious and fun. The rhythmic chunk carries it off.
Surf (Instrumental)
A tepid performance and a thin guitar sound add up to a so-so track. No flair, and little to set it apart from the sea of covers.