Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Diamondheads - Live at Roots Cafe 1/12/02
 | This CD-R is written from an ambient recording, perhaps from a video camera judging from the hyper active AGC. Lots of fine material here. They are working on what promises to be a great CD, doe out later this year. If they tour, I'd love to get these guys into KFJC's Pit! |
Picks: Diamond Head, Jack The Ripper, Love Potion No. 9, Pacifica, Monsoon, The Rise And Fall Of Flingel Bunt, Steel Trap, Surf West, Young Man, English Channel Surfing, Cry For A Shadow, Dented Fender, Home Alone, Hammerhead, The Diamondhead Stomp, Out Of Limits, Wavos Rancheros, Man Of Mystery, Waving, Kawanga
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a fine and spirited performance of Danny Hamilton's classic tune. Accurate and fiery.
Surf (Instrumental)
Link Wray's "Jack The Ripper" can hardly be done badly I think. Moderate pace, solid power, and that famous big guitar line.
Surf (Instrumental)
This song does convert well to the surf idiom. Lots of fire and reverb as the Diamondheads make nice with the Robins' old hit.
Surf (Instrumental)
Los Straitjackets originated it, and the Diamondheads give if a bolder more bottom heavy edge. Great tune, and a solid performance.
Surf (Instrumental)
A fine melody line poses the musical question "can you belly board the torrents of the monsoon?" The answer is yes, as long as mud is not an object. Fire and flair, and a strong melody line, coupled with an effective arrangement.
The Rise And Fall Of Flingel Bunt Surf (Instrumental)
The Shadows' "The Rise and Fall Of Flingel Bunt" is given the huge hall boomerang sound... oh, that's the ambient recording. Still, it's interesting how cool it is when it's so big and boomy.
Surf (Instrumental)
A mind is like a "Steel Trap." It's a terrible thing to waste. Power and bounce, and a sense of easy does it surfing.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is such a cool tune... gotta get this in studio! Big cowboy twang and rhythm, and a rolling beat. Outstanding twang and cactus coolness. Great stuff!!!
Surf (Instrumental)
The "Walk Don't Run" drum intro leads to a refreshingly cool melody with big twang and whammy, and a warm inviting sound. With just a little more of a jangle sound to go with the title, this would shine. The whammy chords are beautiful, and the arrangement works well.
Surf (Instrumental)
The George Harrison's instro from the early days of the Beatles. Spirited, and just a bit more thumpy and reverby than Los Straitjackets.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a good example of enough changes I think. There's differing guitar dynamics, resulting in different tone, and changes in approach, coupled with great drums and a very interesting bass line.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Home Alone" twangs with an almost spaghetti spy feel over a grumbly underpinning. This will be fine in studio. Quite a nice melody.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Hammerhead" features a catchy riff and rhythm, with driving drums and pure surf bass. While it's riff based, it's very pleasing and infectious. A little like a lost Pyramids tune, with guts and whammy.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is an interesting composition, with great drums and good power. It has a fine melody riff and lots of edge. I can't wait for the studio version.
Surf (Instrumental)
The classic studio surf epic gets the works... more than trad, less than unique, though the guitar replacing the keys is rock solid.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Wavos Rancheros" is dangerously optimistic, with a wash of reverb and oceanic swell. A great melody line.
Surf (Instrumental)
The Shadows's tune is well done, though it doesn't really stand out. Treated wit adequate reverb, and swimming whammy and a few glissandoes, and... viola! Being less familiar to American audiences, the Diamondheads can carry it off well.
Surf (Instrumental)
Flowing islandic romanticism abound in this slow and pretty piece. Excellent liquid lines and polished waves of passion. Very nice tune.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a big guitar rendering of Los Straitjackets' "Kawanga," complete with great raging drums and a ton of chunk. Too fun, and very powerful.