Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Collection: Rare Wild Primitive Early Rock Instrumentals
 | This is another great collection of obscure instro singles from the White Label. Some surf, some pre-surf, and some fifties rock and roll. |
Picks: Battle of the Three Blind Mice, Dennis' Boogie, Mad Gass, Ghost Train, Boss, Dreaming, Deadman, Graveyard, Rockin' At The Phil, Spring Time Rock, Blitzkrieg, Spitfire, Lariat, Flintales Rock, Clip Clop, Jambo, Shimmy Shuffle
Track by Track Review
Battle of the Three Blind Mice Riff Rock (Instrumental)
"All right you cats, let's get 'em!" and the mice scream and run... riff rock, and no, there's no use of the "Three Blind Mice" melody of your childhood.
Dennis' Boogie Cowboy Boogie (Instrumental)
A basic cowboy piano boogie. While fun, it doesn't stand out in a crowd of two.
Mad Gass Fifties Rock & Roll (Instrumental)
Inspired by the Wailers, "Tall Cool One" or "Mau Mau," but not as cool.
Pre Surf (Instrumental)
This is one of the more often comp'd instros from the fifties. It is a fast and infectious train tune, with a big reverby lead guitar and lots of subtle whammy. The double picked guitar work is very "swank," and the the contrast between the surf guitar's optimism and the minor key danger of the rhythm guitar and bass is quite effective. Fine track.
Boss Pre Surf (Instrumental)
"Boss" opens with rising cymbals, but then launches into a riff rock chord progression thing without much character, though it does possess some measure of charm.
Pre Surf (Instrumental)
A big twang rhythm guitar under a repetitious double picked lead guitar. Not melodic, but hinting slightly of the surf to come later.
Pre Surf (Instrumental)
Vibrato and cool chords, charming piano and fine drums, and what you get is a minimalist number just waiting for a stronger presentation. The sax is cool, though fifties styled. Great drums.
Surf (Instrumental)
The wind howls and the thunder rolls, then the surf guitars take over. This is a fine tune in the early surf mold, with hard driving drums, variations verse to verse, reverb, and big twang. The vibrato is cool too. Quite a fine obscuro.
Rockin' At The Phil Rock (Instrumental)
The Legends of "Lariat" fame deliver this wild but unmelodic track with abandon and drive.
Spring Time Rock Rockabilly (Instrumental)
This rockabilly boogie is fun and rhythmic, but relatively unremarkable.
Pre Surf (Instrumental)
Big drums, surf guitar, fine piano, and a sporty sax. It's a formula track, more a progression and a riff than a song, yet it's quite charming in its own way.
Spitfire Chicken Bop (Instrumental)
Chicken bop looking for a barnyard, complete with chicken peckin' guitar lickin' fun. No real melody, just peckin' party good times.
Surf (Instrumental)
Way cool start-stop tune with a great melody and a Mexican / Southwest feel. "Lariat" is a mighty infectious fifties bison bop rocker, with plenty of cowboy and ample twango. A great track.
Flintales Rock Rock (Instrumental)
This early rock instro is a sax based tune with incredibly wild drums. Too bad the rest of the track is so tame.
Clip Clop Fifties Rock & Roll (Instrumental)
A fifties plinky piano & sax number with little to call its own.
Jambo Fifties Rock & Roll (Instrumental)
"Jambo" is a basic rock number with great piano and rollicking guitar, lots of drive and fine upright bass, all driven by wonderful drums.
Fifties Rock & Roll (Instrumental)
Echoed basic riff rocking piano roll stuff with a cool keyboard draw. It's just not enough to set the world on fire.