Reverb Central .:. Review .:.

This is another ultra budget pack, available for under $5 buck if you look around. It's all material from the Del-Fi vaults. The big shocker here is the previously unreleased recording of the Surfmen playing "Paradise Cove." The audio and arrangement is very similar to the take of "Ghost Hop" on the companion volume of this CD.

Picks: Surf Rider, Surf Party (Surfer's Delight), Surfin' At Mazatlan, Church Key, Paradise Cove, Bombora, Pintor, Blue Surf, Misirlou, Big Surf

Surf (Instrumental)

This is what happens when a real surfband covers a Nokie Edwards (Ventures) tune that had no relation to surf as written. In fact, it started life as a Potato concept song called "Spudnik." This is the grand and beautiful song that runs under the ending credits of Pulp Fiction. This is the full length version, not the single edit.

Hollywood Surf (Instrumental)

Bruce Johnston's first album was essentially a frat band thing, titled Surfers Pajama Party, and advertised as being recorded live at UCLA (doubtful). This track is a basic frat party anthemic dance number, sax oriented, R&B flavored, and rhythmic.

Surf (Instrumental)

"Surfin' At Mazatlan" is one of their faster more upbeat tracks. It's Spanish influences are obvious, though somewhat mechanical. Bitchin' vintage mean surf.

Surf (Instrumental)

Dave produced a unique arrangement of a song that was recorded by a bazillion instro bands, making it his own. I like it better than the original Revels version because of Dave's great double picking throughout matched exactly by his marvelous drummer. One of the better covers of the Revel's classic, and certainly the most surfy under it's original name.

Surf (Instrumental)

This is a completely different arrangement of "El Toro" / "Paradise Cove," played fast and in a light weight style. The source for this track is mysterious at best. Also sounding very tentative, almost as if captured during a learning session. It's tight enough, but the arrangement is so foreign to the band's other recordings, that it's barely recognizable. Of course, despite any flaws, it's quite a piece of history.

Surf (Instrumental)

The Original Surfaris' "Bombora" is one of the great surf pounders, with it's heavy tom tom action and low-E lead growling away. A great and essential track.

Spanish Surf (Instrumental)

The Pharos are a total mystery. No one seems to know who they were. A few quirky tracks exist, "Pintor" among them. It's a rare, pleasant listening, Latin surf track. It has a certain quaintness, an infectious melody, and well placed whammies. Their other tracks are on various Del-Fi compilations and elsewhere.

Surf (Instrumental)

Slow (very slow), melodic, moody and enjoyable. Not terribly remarkable, but worth having in your library. It is in many ways very similar to the Surfaris song of the same name from a year later.

Spy Surf (Instrumental)

No match for the Dick Dale version, but a damn fine rendition anyway. This has something magnetic about it, even though it is in some ways light weight.

Surf (Instrumental)

Great tracks come in many flavors. Here, the Sentinals create an amazingly interesting tune from a few sparse notes and chords, and the imagery of big stormy threatening waves in unmistakable. What a killer track.