Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Dirt Surfers - Trailer Park Kids Smashed My Mailbox
 | This CD contains nine tracks that seem to me to be very underdeveloped for instrumentals. Too few changes in texture to overcome repetition, and too intellectual to get your blood going. I don't mean to totally knock this, because it's quite pleasant and very well played. It just doesn't command attention, and it's not even remotely related to surf. No where near as interesting or real sounding as their other release. |
Picks: Boxers or Briefs, Trailer Park Kids Smashed My Mailbox, Rock, Don't Whine, Excuse Me, Is That Your Face?, Stone In My Shoe, Pocket Pool, Smell The Glove Of Johnny Underdog, Rub A Dub Dub, Porcelain Reflections
Track by Track Review
Rock (Instrumental)
The question of the ages is not "Boxers or Briefs," and even if it was, it's not answered here. Sophisticated metric progressions and chords, precision playing with the drums being the most interesting part. Miles from surf, but very listenable.
Trailer Park Kids Smashed My Mailbox Rock (Instrumental)
Throbbing delinquent rhythm and ringing guitar in a relentless format. Not a wisp of surf, and a little too unchanging to interesting.
Rock, Don't Whine Rock (Instrumental)
Nice title, moderately interesting pop melody, and a light sound. The rhythm breaks are more enticing than the melody, but neither really holds my attention. It is delicate and a little dramatic, but mostly it makes a pleasant backdrop to some activity other than listening.
Excuse Me, Is That Your Face? Rock (Instrumental)
If ever there was a mistitled tune, this is it. None of the aggression the title might suggest, or the rumble feel. A fine drum track, smooth bass, and an interesting rhythm guitar support a fine lead melody. This is the most interesting track here, yet suffers from repetition via unvarying verses.
Stone In My Shoe Acoustic (Instrumental)
Soft country scenery, acoustic guitar, a wispy afternoon, and a warm sun. Pleasant, but not memorable.
Pocket Pool Rock (Instrumental)
There's a robot carnival feel to this, but it's just too repetitions. Drum machine sounding percussion, repetitive structures, mathematical predictability.
Smell The Glove Of Johnny Underdog Acoustic (Instrumental)
Ill times acoustic guitars do the pompous doodle. Way too intellectual for surf or rock.
Rock (Instrumental)
Expecting dub? Well, drum machine dub with relentless back beat and a thin lead alternated between a thin fuzz and what sounds like melodica. Pretty sterile. The mid section becomes an almost minuet kinda thing, which saves the track.
Porcelain Reflections Rock (Instrumental)
Mechanized rhythms and progressions do not an instrumental make.