Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Collection: 2001: A Surf Odyssey
 | 8 tracks from otherwise mostly illusive bands that required documentation. The eighth track is the ever silly Drifting Sand nod to ms. Spears, Surfin' With Britney. |
Picks: The Backwater Boys - Interstellar Caravan, Rumble, The Berzerkers - Keep 'Em Hangin', Let It Swell, Drifting Sand - At The Mercy Of The Wave, The Sub-Mersions - Where's The Bathroom, Cowboy X
Track by Track Review
The Backwater Boys - Interstellar Caravan Surf (Instrumental)
This is essentially a reunion of the Mallards, a band that was a prime part of the eighties surf revival in San Jose. They used to do this cover of the Lawndale merger of "Interstellar Overdrive" and "Caravan." of Not well rerecorded. Much like it was, and still fun.
The Backwater Boys - Rumble Surf (Instrumental)
A great drum cadence creates intrigue behind the huge lead guitar in this venerable classic. Loud, ugly, and big in trashy ambient sound. Nuff said.
The Berzerkers - Keep 'Em Hangin' Cowboy Surf (Instrumental)
Charting new territory, Dino Francesconi's writing has taken a new left turn into a place where none has gone before. With a throbbing sorta feel, and a mean cowboy edge, "Keep 'Em Hangin'" is a melodic almost spaghetti tune with some damn fine tone. Excellent!
The Berzerkers - Let It Swell Surf (Instrumental)
This trashy live recording displays one of my favorite bands. This otherwise unreleased song is very much in the vein Dino Francesconi writes, and played very well. Sweeping big guitar and angst galore. Great glissandos just make this very cool!
Drifting Sand - At The Mercy Of The Wave Surf (Instrumental)
"At The Mercy Of The Wave" is an excellent surf instro, with great guitar work from Dana Point, delivering a slow and very pretty melody. This is one pretty track, with real atmosphere and great surf tone, coupled with subtle keyboards and solid bass and drums. Picturesque lagoonic images float across the speakers.
The Sub-Mersions - Where's The Bathroom Surf (Instrumental)
Whammy chords bring on a progression based number that's seems more frat surf than real deal. This is likely one of the better tracks that The Sub-Mersions have leaked out. The sound is pretty ambient, with boomy bass and distant drums, but the songs stands up pretty well.
The Sub-Mersions - Cowboy X Surf (Instrumental)
A bit dissonant, this cowboy epic is the best of this band's history. If not for a few pulled guitar notes, "Cowboy X" would be a very strong contender. The melody is scenic and the rhythm infectiously rolling. This is a lot of fun as it gallops along.