Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Collection: Elemental Instrumentals
 | This is a great vault purge from Wisconsin's Cuca records label. A few previously unreleased gems are among some very vital surf instros and primitive Midwest rock instros. Excellent liner notes complete the value. |
Picks: Scalping Party, 7-0-7, Wasted!, Moon Race, Trackin', Rocker, Fall Out, Moon Dawg, Hades, Rewind, Sands Of Arabia, War Party, Rotation, Cyclone, Slippin' And Slidin', Rick-O-Shay, The Lonely Huns, Spin Out, Oddysey, Rawhide, Midnight Express, Tic Toc, This Way Out, The Voodoo Walk, Side-Winder, Mondo Caravan, Rock Casual, When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
This song is credited to Gordy Hastreiter, but is really a rompin' reverby reworking of the Wailers' "Shanghaied" is loaded with frat party yelling. This Midwest band has no relationship at all to the Hollywood Tornadoes or the London Tornados. They were on the Cuca label.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is the b-side of "Scalping Party," and is much less frantic, but also much more durable for my money. More riffy than melodic, but very cool. The circular melody line is just catchy enough, and the muted verses are very surf!
Wasted! Sax Surf (Instrumental)
This raw sax rocker is supported by primal drums and chunky guitar. It's more than a fifties frat rocker, with reverbed and damped rhythm guitar pretty buried in the mix, yet fundamental to the power of the tune. At the end of the day, it's just a riff rocker.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Moon Race" is very infectious, and sports great finger squeals on the guitar. It totally rocks and captures your surf imagination. Among the midwest obscuros, it's one of the essential tracks. A totally magical track. This stellar surf instro has amazingly good sound when you consider it was cut in an someone's attic.
Trackin' Rock (Instrumental)
Semi-saucy sax 'n' roll with a saunter, "Trackin'" is a moderately interesting track with some tasteful vibrato and charm.
Rock (Instrumental)
The song's title might lead you believe that this 1959 track will rock. That would be only partially true. "Rocker" moderately paced some with great drums and a decent riff. It does have lots of energy, but is somewhat restrained sounding.
Surf (Instrumental)
This obscuro uses a pretty cool drum beat, and a basic chord progression to match, both of which are not the usual surf beat. The melody riff is classic combo surf. Infectious and very fun. "Fall Out" sports an explosion, which is a recording of a real atomic blast, and for which the tune is named.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is an almost gentle version of the Gamblers' "Moon Dawg." It illustrates the frequently employed engineer's credo of you play quiet and I make it loud. It's hard to imaging they actually played it this way. The chorus is kind cheesy, but despite all that, it rocks. The original label was Cuca 1145.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is one odd single. The pumping organ progression would lead you astray at first, but the surf guitar and reverbed wood block or above the bridge plucking creates a really interesting sound. A great sax break and a haunting vibrato. Great track!
Surf (Instrumental)
Based on "Got My Mojo Working," this surf instro is a fun little track that was just unearthed. It borrows other R&B riffs as well, and is just simply fun, with great drums and tight playing. The date and band details are unknown.
Surf (Instrumental)
Really thin guitar and distant tribal drums deliver a mysterious Arabian theme that's just waiting for some enterprising surfband to cover it. Great drums and hand claps, along with bongos, really make this shine. In some ways, it reminds me of Johnny and the Hurricanes' "Sheba."
Pre Surf (Instrumental)
Great drums and groovy guitar chords play out an Indian theme. The drums really make this work, though the song is quite surfable. The haunted vibrato verses are shimmery cool. Issued in 1962.
Surf (Instrumental)
Piano plinks and the riff rock takes over. "Rotation" has no melody, but is a rousing riff rocker in the b-side tradition before surf came along.
Rock (Instrumental)
"Cyclone" is more than a riff rocker, but doesn't quite rise to the level of melody. Raw and honkin' and riffy with a little reverb.
Surf (Vocal)
Great Citations guitar riffs pump behind the vocals which don't run all the way through. The riffs are fifties pre surf, but they sure are cool. It's mostly instrumental. I wouldn't have suspected that Little Richard's "Slippin' and Slidin'" could rock in this wet way.
Surf (Instrumental)
Great echoed muted guitar pickin' here. "Rick-O-Shay" is a very infectious bouncy number with lots of great drums and a very cool sound. It bears repeated listening.
Surf (Instrumental)
Big island chords, shallow whammy wakes on the water, and a melody that borrows parts from the Ventures' "Lonely Sea." The question is, which came first? This is lovely, melodic and inviting island music.
Spin Out Rock (Instrumental)
"Spin Out" is a primitive instro with a riffy basis and funky feeling. Kinda subdued cool, but not really memorable.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Oddysey" has languished in the vaults since it was cut in July 1963. Great drums and a simple riff make it rock. The drum break is excellent, and the "Tequila"-like riff kinda cool too. Quite fun.
Surf (Instrumental)
Link Wray and his Raymen's "Raw-Hide" gets a Midwest surf treatment, with rompin' drums and bass and rockin' guitar lines. Not too many covers of this song are really cool, but this one sure is.
Rock (Instrumental)
"Midnight Express" has been booted a few times. It's a tape echo guitar romp that's just too fun. Very primitive, but with great fire and flair.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Tic Toc" is a very fun instro with a great riff and gimmick. It may be from 1961, but there's great reverb on the lead guitar. You can just feel the grins on the band members' faces as they play this catchy number.
Near Surf (Instrumental)
The Furys could rock. Their drummer was great, and their riffs were sort of post fifties jammin' Lots of energy and pumping drums. "This Way Out" is right in there, with a great break.
Near Surf (Instrumental)
Exotica bird calls, great muted surf guitar a la the Nobles, jungle vibrato, and great tribal drums. "The Voodoo Walk" is one cool instro, with real rock charm and a great sound. It originally was titled "Voo Doo Walk."
Rock (Instrumental)
"Side Winder" is a 1962 piano and whammy twanger with a jam feel and nasty sax. It's a smoky bar intrso jam.
Rock (Instrumental)
Very primitive Middle Eastern riffology via Tom Terry's guitar. What a cool treatment of Duke Ellington's "Caravan!" The sound is thin, and would give cheap cause for pause, but it sure is real!
Surf (Instrumental)
Cut in 1964, Wally Messner's "Rock Casual" a very cool instro with a great hook. That's because it's a minor variation on Freddy King's "San Jose." Bassy and reverbed out, it's just lots of fun, and the overall wash of tape echo gives the drums a retro fifties sound.
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again Rock (Instrumental)
This is a primitive sax rocker with a guitar break and Ventures-like drums. It's quite interesting, but not really memorable.