Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Collection: Seasonal Favorites
 | Double Crown Record's holiday compilation sports sixteen tracks of surf and garage aimed at Santa's sleigh. Some very cool stuff here, which will provide a pleasant diversion from Bing Crosby at your parents' place.
Vocals include "It's Christmas Time" (Boss Martians), "Santa Claus Go To The Ghetto" (Frigg A Go-Go), "Living Doll" (Firebirds), "Christmas Is A Drag" (Tacoma Four), and the incredible cool "Hang On Rudolf" from the fictitious Ebineezer Scrooge Appreciation Society, based on the McCoy's cover of "Hang on Sloopy" (Little Caesar and the Consuls cut the original I think) and "Louie Louie." |
Picks: Sleigh Ride, Mistletoe Twist, Sigue Sigue X-Mas, Carol Of The Bells, Silent Night, We Wish You A Merry Xmas, Have Yourself A Merry Little Xmas, Rocknuts, Scrooge, Little Drummer Boy, Christmas Island
Track by Track Review
Christmas Surf (Instrumental)
The Ventures "Walk Don't Run" arrangement, surfed up, speedily played, and way too cool. This will surely light your tree. Crunchy and more fun than Santa is allowed to have, cookies and milk excluded.
Christmas Surf (Instrumental)
One of the best performed tuna-tunes, "Mistletoe Twist" is a great track with lots of little inclusions from other holiday classic to spice this punch. Solid, fun, and entirely cool.
Christmas Surf (Instrumental)
In a nod to weird pop and wailing guitars, "Jingle Bells" features Lorne Green reading Christmas tales and extracts from "It's A Wonderful Life."
Christmas Southwest Desert Spaghetti Western Surf (Instrumental)
Totally different from the Malibooz treatment of this tune, like Xmas in Sardinia. Completely magical and spaghetti like, with dribbling almost balalaika guitar. Refined and restrained, portraying a beautiful scene.
Christmas Surf (Instrumental)
The rich double picking of Los Mel-tones drives this spirited tube rider version of "Silent Night." Very nicely done. No playing around, just straight surf and holly. The restrained damped verse is quite suave. Excellent!
Christmas Surf (Instrumental)
Surfin the carport for that missing gift, welcoming the red suited elf with tidings of good cheer. This is a solid rejuvenation, with raging glissandoes, a choppy beat, and some double picked crunch.
Have Yourself A Merry Little Xmas Christmas Surf (Instrumental)
"Have Yourself A Merry Little Xmas" opens with averse from Perfidia, and employs a basic Ventures arrangement throughout. The sax lead is kinda garagy, and gives it a strange edge.
Christmas Surf (Instrumental)
This is a high energy surf cover of B. Bumble and the Stingers' "Nut Rocker," which of course fits the theme because "Nut Rocker" is a reworking of the main theme from the holiday classic "Nutcracker Suite." A ton of spirit and a fine contrast between the suave echoed guitar and racing drums and bass. Very exciting and fun.
Aggro Fuzz Surf (Instrumental)
This cover of the Ventures' tune is huge. Evil, dark, lurking in the ally kinda anti Christmas epic. Hide your holiday goose or you'll be relieved of its burden before you make it home.
Christmas Surf (Instrumental)
With a grodie pudding sound, the Bonesharks do a fine cover of "Little Drummer Boy" with rolling drums and double picked grumble. The bass thunders below, and the mood is set for an ominous holiday side trip. Excellent!
Exotic Club Scene (Instrumental)
The Space Cossacks deliver a gloriously Hawaiian holiday tribute, with a grass shack lap steel feel, and a very smooth delivery. Smooth, suave, and darn cool.