Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Collection: Swivelin' Wahines
 | This double CD sports thirty five bands from around the world. It's a cross section of contemporary surf music. Most tracks are from CD releases, but many are either very obscure, or were issued only on CD-R. Exotic sounds, contemporary surf, and over an hour and a half of fun. 33 instrumentals plus two vocals from Partia, and the Reach Around Rodeo Clowns. |
Picks: S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Girl, Space Race, Swami Shot, Execute Plan A, Gung Ho For Don Ho, Zombie Creep, Mt. Olive, Fun Love In A Thong Bikini, Mayday Malone, Girl From Orange County, Taste Of Honey, Monkey Surf, Return Of the Thin Man, Crime Scene, Bock's Car, Voyage Around The Moon, Crash, Giant Cow, The Wedge, Shark Byte, Hey Mr. Rock N Roll (part 4), BBQ Gone Bad, Come Get Some, Trailspotting, Dragstrip 69, Roja, Island Girl, Hotbox, Over The Edge, Breakers At Hanalei, Viva Satanico, South Sea Island, Solo Surf
Track by Track Review
Gretchabilly Surf (Instrumental)
Spy flick period drama and melody, twango deluxe, and a modern edge. This is loud even when it floats.
Surf (Instrumental)
This shiningly original track uses harmonics and pure reverb over a rumbling and ominous bass line to create an image of thundering primal surf and tribal ceremonial sacrifice. It is dark, brooding, and rhythmic. Very good track indeed. Dig the power of the surf! Middle eastern imagery, menacing tones, and dramatic Bedouin bedlam. Magnificent!
Surf Ska (Instrumental)
Ska surf & infectious rhythms. Not much direction, but very fun.
Surf (Instrumental)
A narrated evacuation plan introduces this very surfy track, with a rhythmic progression and layered power. Like their "Asbrón el Eliminador," "Ejecuten Plan A" (actual title) is mostly void of a lead or melody, but this one seems much more listener friendly. It has the urgency that the title conveys, and is short enough not to exceed the attention span of a progression based track.
Surf (Instrumental)
Hawaiian Little Grass Shack number that would be hokey if it wasn't so damn cool. Amazing. Much the same character as the Impacts' Sea Horse, but smoother.
Garage Surf (Instrumental)
Having fun with Henry Mancini's film theme, more surfy than Davie Allan's versions, but sloppily delivered. Can you say "party?"
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a cool track, double picked over a screaming femme vox, and quite dramatic. Not as melodic as I'd like, but intensely delivered. Slightly middle eastern, largely scary. The contrast between the Bedouin ethic and the edgie guitar is interesting.
Fun Love In A Thong Bikini Surf (Instrumental)
Playful and skimpy, both in the bikini department and the melody department. It is riff based, but transcends the expected limitations through it's friendly tone. This is a fairly non melodic track, like a TV theme for a cop show or something. It doesnŐt evoke images of anyone in a thong bikini.
Surf (Instrumental)
A long slow string slide opens to a rumbling thunder and reverb crash... a little spy, a little surf, damped chop, and a garage abandon... The pick slides make it work. Pretty garagie, but very very.
Surf (Instrumental)
This track has an almost Nelson Riddle TV theme quality about it, with a round ringing tone, and a melodic plink that requires a second listen. The song employs elements of lounge, of Henry Mancini - Pink Panther detective quaintness, and a flowing Girl From Ipanima mystique. Great track.
Surf (Instrumental)
Taking their arrangement cue from the Halibuts doesn't save this track. Maybe this is just a personal thing, but I don't like this song, and none of the surf arrangements are worth a toothpick.
Rock (Instrumental)
Low brow riff rockin' frat... a progression looking for a melody. The whammy chords are nice, but don't sustain repeated listens.
Surf (Instrumental)
Opening with the stalking, and then the gunshot, this quickly rocks into a rhythmic spy kinda thing with glissandoes and ample drama. Melodic and interesting. The cheesy girl voice in the chorus is a bit B-movie-ish, though it certainly fits the track. Hard driving and infectious in a dangerous clandestine way.
Rock (Instrumental)
Country twango, whammified crunch, and a friendly little riff. Not surf, yet somewhat watery. Lots of energy without clutter, and a relentless drive. Pretty cool.
Atomic Surf (Instrumental)
Following a vintage atomic era piece of military propaganda about how safe atomic blasts are for the troops in the field, a monstrous double picked gradual up-glissando yields to a rockabilly rhythm under a powerful melodic tune. It's a low-E minor key thing with an ominous edge and a post Link Wray kinda raw energy. A very strong track which ends suddenly with an interruptive radio message warning of a shift in the wind bringing a fall out cloud overhead, but not to worry, just stay indoors and there will be no danger... uh, yeah, right. Your tax dollars at work.
Movie Surf (Instrumental)
This is a garagie version of the surf instro from That Thing You Do. Solid energy and playing, well paced, and enjoyable, and demo sound.
Crash Movie Surf (Instrumental)
The Creations "Crash" is tentatively played. The guitar seems restrained, while the bass is too thumpy.
Surf (Instrumental)
Great drums and big guitar twang. A very nice melody. Again, a second guitar is needed. Still, it's the best track on the demo, especially the ska bridge. Very cool song.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a most unusual and warm track. No, it's not Dick Dale's masterpiece. The tone is completely non-surf, but there's the feel of dangerous break emanating from those almost slide guitar chords. A nifty track.
Surf (Instrumental)
Sharks on the net? This is cool - chunky and melodic. This has an infectious feel to it, and the ringing chords compliment the low-E lead. The energy is good, and the drive is obvious. Very enjoyable.
Hey Mr. Rock N Roll (part 4) Surf (Instrumental)
The Mill Valley Taters conjure surf from strange places... this is a splendid example of just how cool drum machines and guitars can be... well written and nicely played.
Power Surf (Instrumental)
"BBQ Gone Bad" is an instromatic journey through the land of compressed edgie guitar. It's in the vein of the instro from eighties legends like the Long Riders or the [Surfin'] Smithereens, using a progression in place of a melody, delivered with a slightly surfed distortion driven tone. The song name is great.
Angular Jetty Surf (Instrumental)
Dirk Doom and the Overdrive Orchestra do unusual things with watery chords and tones. This is angular, slightly jazzy, and a little mysterious. Not exactly comfortable, but engaging and unique. A fine track.
Surf (Instrumental)
Intense middle eastern double picked madness. The sound is thin, but the power and performance are excellent. Major energy, lots of punch, and an evil siege on the oasis feel. Chunky and spunky.
Power Surf (Instrumental)
This is punkie garagie power surge rippin' surf for the last big wave before the eye of the storm... evil progression instro rock with big guitar twang.
Surf (Instrumental)
Big surf guitar, whoopin' surf party madness. The lead is pretty hot. A simple melody, but effective. Too much chord action on the lead for my tastes, but the performance is fiery, and the overall effect is pretty good.
Surf (Instrumental)
Slow pristine and scenic sounds and melody lines bring forth a vision of sultry palms and breezy sarongs. Very pleasing, quite pretty, and it gets into your soul.
Surf (Instrumental)
Spanish surf and tango sensibilities abound. This track generates images of black lace and roses, and long slithering rides on perfect curl along an island coastline. Ins and outs, and warm sun. A fine song.
Surf (Instrumental)
A totally unusual melody and a million nps (notes per second) delivery yield a really cool tune. The speed of the playing is in contrast to the gentleness of it, and counterpoints well against the back track. Nice job.
Surf (Instrumental)
More like the Halibuts of old, this is a happier than happy tune, melodic as they come, and entirely infectious. The playfulness of the melody brings a grin, while the rhythm section keeps you rolling down the highway. It is the happy side of this song that makes it so special.
Surf (Instrumental)
Center stage is a mean and nasty surf riff over a thundering back track. It's a short track, clocking in at 1:24, but long enough to satisfy.
Power Surf (Instrumental)
Evil dark big guitar tones, like a low-E metal band gone mad while using an exotica drum & bass line pumped to the highly compressed percussive max. A larger than life trip into the darker side of surf n' grunge. Cool glissandoes, Link Wray like progressions, and exclaimed madness. Nothing like the title suggests. No palm trees, no warm, breezes. This is evil storm surf closing out overhead, threatening life itself.
Beat Generation Surf (Instrumental)
This is a particularly nice track. The lead is damped and echoed, and the overall gentility of the arrangement makes it flow quite nicely. I can't say I've heard anything written quite like this. Fine surfy feel and unique stylings. Island-sea imagery is strong enough, with a sultry feel, and a hint of bouncing free flesh. Great track. This is listed as "Platja Nudista" on the sleeve.