Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Estrume'n'tal - Space'n'tal
 | Link Wray grinds tires for a new highway. The watchword for this CD is "intensity." Most tracks are melodic and sport unrelenting power. It's almost more than you can stand in one sitting. Solid is an understatement, with very strong musicianship and near insanely thick sound. Brazilian surf is light years from trad. |
Picks: Et De Varginha, Pouso Alegre, Vacalgada, Sol Si Do Si Mi Re La, Tubarao, Torpeido, Uiskzito, Marcha Funebre, Casa Do Sol Nascente, Baja, Bolero, Uma Bala Para Chita, Gin Com Bells, Gran Finale
Track by Track Review
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
Very thick intense distortion guitars, compressed and powerful over tribal tom toms and a solid surf beat. Mighty big, with thunder and power whine guitars. A buzz saw would be less intense. More riff than melody, but what power!
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
Melodic riffology and thick, with an intensity and compressed sorta Bottle Ups feel. Really BIG!
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
The jaws harp adds a kind of inverted hickoidal ethic to this very thick track. "Vacalgada" moves at 80 mph down an open highway, with no lack of charm and power.
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
This is in the mold of last decade Austin meats Minneapolis... very strong and grindy, with no rest for the weary.
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
The Jaws riff is darkly ground to even scarier heights. Quickly, this becomes a melodic thick monster, with a very hard edge and not a drop of tranquility. Take Frankie Camaro's guitar and amp it up and compress the beejeebers out of it, and it still won't be this dark and huge.
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
Darkly forming, grimly tracking down, rapidly closing in... that about says it.
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
Grumbly thick and ominous, this riff oriented assault sports great drums and harsh chunk. Egads!
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
And you thought it was tuff up to now. This is a brilliant track, based on the classic grim reaper riff used so slashingly by the Phantom Surfers in "Dead West." No, it's nothing like that... this is over the top power dirge for huge surf. Great stuff.
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
"House Of The Rising Sun" never sound so intense. Great double picking and power fuzz, with incredible tribal drums and lots of chunk. Great!
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
OK, you can just imagine what Lee Hazelwood's "Baja" sounds like... well, probably note. Surf guitar lead, ultra crunch metal rhythm, and solid bass and drums. very powerful, yet delicate. Amazing!
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
"Bolero" brings a melodic fluid lead line to a crunchy rhythm and power backtrack. Hugely cool!
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
Larger than life grind and deaf ears abound in this intense and loud track. The thundering tom toms and bass in the bridge are more than cool.
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
The chord sound is like the DI's "Pray For Surf" under a wild double picked ultra thick "Jingle Bells." Christmas will never be the same again! Like a cross between Davie Allan and Santa Claus.
Thick Intense Surf (Instrumental)
"Gran Finale" is right... big, melodic, and wonderful. Big crunch, a tight melody line, and gobs of power.