Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Collection: Bloodshot - The Gaity Records Story Volume 2
 | Volume two features some tracks with better sound and production than volume one. The Glenrays' "Tambour" and The Jades' "Surfin' Crow" are particularly interesting. |
Picks: The Big M's - Get Going, The Corvairs - Volcano, The Crown Teens - Easy Rhythm, Curtis and the Galaxies - Theme From A Fireplace, The Glenrays - Easy Rhythm, Tambour, Haunted By Reputation, The Jades - Surfin' Crow
Track by Track Review
The Big M's - Get Going R&B (Instrumental)
"Get Going" is a simple R&B progression kinda thing, with raspy sax and piano doing the heavy lifting.
Rock (Instrumental)
"Volcano" is a primitive chord number with no melody at first. Once the lead guitar starts jamming, a simple melody evolves that has potential. It's from the shadowy underbelly of rock'n'roll intros where danger lurks.
The Crown Teens - Easy Rhythm Rock (Instrumental)
tremolo guitar trembles as this not very tight band plays a gnarly riff rocker. While murky and simple, there's a genuine sense of the raw side of the danger of rock'n'roll of the period. Charming and ominous.
Curtis and the Galaxies - Theme From A Fireplace
Rock (Instrumental)
Moody bass and sax attempting sensuality are accompanied by jaws harp in a most curious instro.
The Glenrays - Easy Rhythm Pre Surf (Instrumental)
This is a moody vibrato throbber with echoes drums a la fifties b-sides. It's much more than that, though. "Easy Rhythm" is a pre surf brooder in the best sense. dark riff rockin' almost morose twang and piano plinkery. Groovy!
Rock (Instrumental)
"Tambour" features a cool melody line that's circular and oddly captivating. The simple drum bridges are enhanced by tape echo, and the sax lines are underdeveloped. "Tambour" easily could have been reverbed into a surf instro in the beginning of the genre.
The Glenrays - Haunted By Reputation Rock (Instrumental)
Overdone 15 ips tape echo drenches a riff rocker in just enough weirdness, especially with the ultra cool vibraphone verses. "Haunted By Reputation" is super primitive, buy oh-so tuff. The echoed calls add to the period strangeness. A very cool track.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a studio session, with the necessary surfisms and rolling drums. Muddier here than the masters, it's none the less a solid example of lessor surf singles of the day. If I recall correctly, this was cut in Memphis. Shouts of "surfin' crow" and "caw-caw" bird calls enhance the track.