 | This 1986 release is pretty far afield for surf fans. It's here because of the players. Ed Hatch was a recording project of Eric Gies and David Larstein. Both were members of the Humans, an outgrowth of the breakup of Eddie and the Showmen. Eric Gies, along with Sterling Storm and John Anderson (Baymen) relocated to Santa Cruz in 1970 to found the Humans, who kept surf instros as a lively part of their set through the eighties. The trio were also known as the Ninja Nomads, who released a thick and churning version of Miserlou on What Surf III. Their surf credentials are unchallenged. There are just two instros here, in two different styles, and both devoid of their surf roots. Both are unusual and very interesting. Vocals on this cassette include the war whoop and chant "Coyote Man," which is like an industrial inversion of Kiowa traditional music, the tweaky dance treatment of "Glassbottom Boat / Navajo," the industrial faux rap of "Dirty Old Man," the cheer leader rap of "Invaders," the recreation of the smoke signal times of "Kiowa Man," the softly romanticized almost Mason Proffit imagery of "Whispering Wind," the Industrial harmonica grunge of "Little Bessie," and the plaintiff whine about life "On The Line" on the factory floor. |