Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Laramie Dean - Surf Riot!
 | All I can say is Holy Crap!, and not because this rocks, but because it's mostly so amateur. Wrong melodies on covers, some of which were lifted from other people's covers, cruddy sound, very rough mixing, and not much chemistry. There are four tracks that hold some interest, but aside form the lone live cut "Surf Wolf," it's all quite forgettable. |
Picks: Hava Nagila, Ghost Riders, Pipeline, Surf Wolf
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
This is fast and loud, has rocking but poorly recorded drums, and the use of the trumpet is very interesting, but the melody line is wrong in a way that doesn't suggest intention. Two guitars charge against each other. Very high energy.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a more or less straight forward cover of "Hava Nagila," except that the guitar is heavily reverbed and delightfully muted. It may not be the best version out there, but there is plenty going on. Oh for better production values.
Surf (Instrumental)
Glissandos and aggressive guitar work delivering one of thee classic instrumentals. The arrangement is a blend of Dick Dale's and original thinking via the muted reverb and trumpet. Very cool.
Surf (Instrumental)
A couple of reverb crash launch this song, which has some interesting elements, but is mostly a power jam. Not melodic, but chunky and loud.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Pipeline" is played with the wrong melody line, lifted from Jerry Cole's version. The muted surf guitars are cool, as is the tremolo. Cruddy sound and incorrect melody hold it back.
Mr. Moto Surf (Instrumental)
Big splash whammy variant to The Belairs' "Mr. Moto" with deep reverb chunk and glissandos. The melody is merely in the neighborhood, and there are some places where it sounds like the guitar drops notes.
Diamond Head Surf (Instrumental)
Sloppy guitar work misses the subtleties of Danny Hamilton's great melody. It could have been cool, but it's only amateur.
Penetration Surf (Instrumental)
Semi-psychedelic intro and The ventures' goofy augmentations just add to the drag of the cruddy sound. Significant though went into the arrangement at times, but it's not executed well at all.
Surf (Instrumental)
Guitars working hard, drums almost missing in the mix, and dry eighties bass. The attempt at fire is there, and the heavy handed muted rhythm in the breaks is very interesting, adding significant chunk. That said, this really doesn't rise above the slightly interesting.
Surf (Instrumental)
Grand howling feedback begins "Surf Wolf." Very aggressive and angry, with power and tortured guitar. It's better than anything else here, if only for it's psychedelic howl and raging horn.