Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Collection: Locked In 1
 | 18 lo-fi instros in the shadow of Baldy. Plenty of fun, but not a lot of decent sound. many good performances. |
Picks: Squad Car, Locked In, Chaeto, One Mean Gasser, Red Monkey, Creepy Crocker, Ice Cream Sunshine, Cotton Pickin', Kid Wig's Harem, Bustin' Bikini Beat, Wildfire, Picket Fence, 2000 Lb Werewolf, Cosmic Blastoff, 12 Miles To Babylon, Rocket To Mars, Two Beer Stomp, Surf Beat
Track by Track Review
Squad Car Surf (Instrumental)
The Phantom Surfers cover another surf classic. I much prefer their originals. They are capable of writing some pretty cool stuff.
Surf Rock (Instrumental)
The Gallows deliver a fiery performance of a hard driving surf riff tune, but it's hidden behind a dreadfully murky recording. A very cool song, but geez is it murky!
Surf (Instrumental)
A fifties sorta rocker with Baldy's double picked lead lines. Cool and trashy. Sir Bald Diddley and his Right Honourable Big Wigs have been inactive for quite a while, being replaced by the also expired the new band called the Wig Outs. Fast and furious, from 95.
Surf Rod (Instrumental)
Evan goes the extra mile, but the guitar is way too low in the mix, so it doesn't reach it's potential. The tune is pretty intense, and the energy frantic.
Red Monkey R&B (Instrumental)
Edgy R&B Organ grind a la Jimmy Smith andBooker T. Jones. Quite dismissible.
Surf (Instrumental)
The back of the hall sound hides a fiery performance, and the talking amongst the punters doesn't help either. Ample pizzazz, even a decent surf riff, but the ambient recording does not do it justice.
Ice Cream Sunshine
Rock (Instrumental)
This is horridly directionless frat rock. Egads, how trashy and crude.
Cotton Pickin' Rockabilly (Instrumental)
"Cotton Pickin'" is an unremarkable fifties style b-side instro. Probably fun is a stinky little club, but you'll forget seconds after listening.
Middle East Surf (Instrumental)
"Kid Wig's Harem" is a fiery Middle Eastern surf instro with that Baldy approach. Fast and furious, and intense. Someone should cover this!
Surf (Instrumental)
Surf rave-up with a minimal melody, but could definitely be developed. The fire is hot and the power obvious, but the lo-fi rehearsal-like sound hides much of the playing.
Wildfire
Riff Surf (Instrumental)
Fast double picked riff trash that failed the memory test. Goes nowhere.
Picket Fence Link Wray (Instrumental)
Primitive and raw Linkage as you might expect from Billy Childish. Intense whammy action.
2000 Lb Werewolf Sax Fuzz (Instrumental)
This is a fuzzed version of "2000 Lb. Bee" with a sax. More trash than class.
Cosmic Blastoff Dark Surf Trash (Instrumental)
Ominous, but "Cosmic Blastoff" doesn't seem to go anywhere. Just a nasty riff and a little fear in a murky dungeon.
Surf (Instrumental)
This dramatic and slowish number sticks long after playing it. Its sad tones and mysterious melody are excellent. Too bad the recording is murky, because this could have been a great track.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a fast and fiery arrangement of Frankie Laine's "Wild Goose" with a new bridge and lots of glissandoes. It's pretty darn cool. Lots of power and loudness.
Two Beer Stomp Jug Band Jump Blues (Instrumental)
Harp and jug band blues. While it's ambient stereo and lo-fi, it does imitate the early British R&B of Cyril Davies pretty well.
Surf Beat
Surf (Instrumental)
Though they are spirited and Elka is a very intense player, this really sux. The sound is intolerable and this is not one of their better performances. Even the moron teen-scream percussion doesn't help.