Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Collection: Ultra-Surf Presents: Hit The Surf!
 | This is an mp3 release with some cool surf stuff, including a track from the illusive Golden Breed soundtrack. |
Picks: The Back Wash Rhythm Band - Surfer Paradise, Dick Dale and his Del-tones - Miserlou, Don Hinson and the Rigamorticians - Monster Surf Stomp, The Ventures - Surf Rider, The Wailers - We're Goin' Surfin'
Track by Track Review
Richie Allen and the Pacific Surfers - The Lonely Surfer Surf Lite (Instrumental)
"The Lonely Surfer" is a Sunday drive kinda song with tremolo and shimmering tone, coupled with plinky piano and a light rock beat. Also released as "Lonely Guitarist."
The Back Wash Rhythm Band - Surfer Paradise Surf (Instrumental)
This is a very nice surf instro, though it's more warbly whammified than is traditional, and has a nontraditional melody line. No idea where this is from, though I'm pretty sure it's a retitled track. Perhaps it's a pre-fuzz Davie Allan track. It has that rhythm section sound.
Jerry Cole and his Spacemen - Surf Age Studio Jam (Instrumental)
Ringing guitar notes, and Capitol Records studio horns create a cross between an interesting song idea and bad session work.
Dick Dale and his Del-tones - Miserlou Surf (Instrumental)
The introductory note of Miserlou is somehow bigger than life. Dick's machine gun staccato is perfect. This is Dick Dale's biggest Del-tone singles, the incredibly archetypal "Miserlou" featured so prominently in Pulp Fiction. No comprehensive Surf collection should even be conceived without this song. This IS the sound of primal surf, the source of the idea of really LOUD guitar leads. It's reported that the arrangement was developed after Dick saw Johnny Barakat do it this way.
Don Hinson and the Rigamorticians - Monster Surf Stomp Studio Surf (Instrumental)
This Gary Paxton production was an attempt at surf instrumentals, but like most studio sessions, missed the point completely. Aside from the shimmer of the vibrato guitar, everything else is not part of the surf sound. Having said that, it's a solid instro with an enjoyable sound.
The Marketts - Let's Go Trippin' Big Band Surf (Instrumental)
Really thin guitar plays Dick Dale and his Del-tones' "Let's Go Trippin'" against piano and a studio band. I can't say that there's a thinner and less satisfying version out there.
John Severson - Murphy's Grey Wet Suit Surf (Instrumental)
This sounds like a Hollywood session from the usual suspects. A happy, poppy melody, and its only relationship to surf music is via the title and tremolo guitar. Otherwise, it apes much of the Southern Rock style of Duane Eddy.
The Ventures - Surf Rider Surf (Instrumental)
They called it "Spudnik" on their mashed potato album. The Lively Ones renamed it and made it a surf classic. This is quite dry compared to the Lively Ones' version. It's such a solid piece of writing!
The Wailers - We're Goin' Surfin' Surf (Instrumental)
Like every other band on earth at the time, the Wailers tried to move into the pop consciousness on the wave of the surf sound. Their vocal attempts (Party Time U. S. A.) were pretty lame, but this instro is quite good, though not very surfy in the traditional sense. No double picking, and no Fender reverb, but plenty of watery groove. The girls chorus singin' "everyone's surfin', we're going surfin..." etc. could have been dropped, but still, it was a great single, and stands up well over time. The melody is the same as Dave Myers and the Surftones "Aqua Limbo Luau."