Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Collection: East Coast Fury
 | Two very solid bands slitting a CD. Both have similarities that make the coupling work. I think the mix and production values on this CD are very limiting. The Hot Rod Fury tracks are badly mixed with drums and bass on the left and guitar on the right. Their tracks are powerful and aggressive. Similarly, the majority of the East Coast Tremors tracks are the same recording wise, except left and right are reversed. The drums on both band's tracks are ambiently recorded. They all sound like they are from the same still. Just imagine if they were properly mixed! |
Picks: East Coast Tremors - The Devil's Hotrod, Crowbar, Klopek, 18 Wheels To Nowhere, Breakin' The Law, Atlantis, Hotrod Fury - Whiteout, Stripsearch, Codebreaker, Smokeshow, Shake-N-Stomp, Dead End Street
Track by Track Review
East Coast Tremors - The Devil's Hotrod Surf (Instrumental)
The two guitars play off each other in fast attack. The melody is minimal and the riffs borrowed from The Scarlets' "Stampede," yet "The Devil's Hotrod" is a powerful and very cool track. The sound is a bit murky, but the energy comes through.
East Coast Tremors - Crowbar Surf (Instrumental)
This is pretty much a frat rockin' progression based number with relentless drums and one-level energy - all loud. "Crowbar" is punchy and raucous.
East Coast Tremors - Klopek Spy Surf (Instrumental)
A spyish riff, great drums, espionage organ, and a surf-go-go structure and sound combine for a cooler than most ride in this particular genre.
East Coast Tremors - 18 Wheels To Nowhere Surf (Instrumental)
"18 Wheels To Nowhere" is fast and sports almost nervous energy. The melody riff circles around and pleases. The arrangement is pretty solid. Some very cool moments here.
East Coast Tremors - Breakin' The Law Surf (Instrumental)
Very big guitar plays a cool opening riff, but drops into a murky over-reverbed distortion line. The melody is very cool, and there's quite a bit of power here. I think the song is better than the recording by quite a bit.
East Coast Tremors - Atlantis Surf (Instrumental)
"Atlantis" is not the Shadows' tune, but rather an interesting and fluid number with delicate muted reverb and island chords in places. The organ whirls while the waves shimmer via whammy. Ah... lead guitar in the middle where it belongs, though a bit low in the mix.
Surf (Instrumental)
Link Wray inspired big guitar with reverb crashes and danger lurking everywhere. Relentless edge and volume. Drums and bass on the left and guitar on the right is very annoying, but otherwise, "Whiteout" is a monster made of ominous tone, reverb, outboard kicks, and plunder.
Hotrod Fury - Stripsearch Surf (Instrumental)
Dark double picked menacing guitar slaughter. Sorta like a cross between Link Wray and Dick Dale in some ways. Powerful, and all about loud.
Hotrod Fury - Codebreaker Surf (Instrumental)
Heavy puling muted surf rhythm breaks into loud lead lines with aggressive filigrees. Dark and ominous, with big tom toms and splash. It's like huge storm surf crashing you into the rocks.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Smokeshow" is like a traditional rockabilly instro from the fifties amped up with reverb, loud amps, and glissandos. Splashy and intense, but too much of a jam for my taste.
Hotrod Fury - Shake-N-Stomp Surf (Instrumental)
This is a loud rendering of Dick Dale and his Del-tones' "Shake-N-Stomp." I was quite surprised at how uninteresting this ended up being, in part because the drums sound ambient and the guitar is off in the right corner, detracting from the song's inherent power.
Hotrod Fury - Dead End Street Surf (Instrumental)
"Dead End Street" is a relentless progression in search of a song. There's just more going on here. Moreorless straight rock instro fair, only louder and reverbed.