Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Impala - El Rancho Reverbo
 | No one from Memphis ever understood the surf idiom before this. Very good performances. Production could be more sympathetic, but these tracks mostly rip!. |
Picks: El Rancho, Odalesque, Ronnie and the Renegades, Wild Night At The Bloody Bucket, Last Tango In Turrell, What The Astronauts Drink, Anna Vienna, Open All Night, Taos Pueblo, Have You Seen This Man?, Derailed, Endsville, Hell Of A Woman, LTD A-Go-Go, Mr. Here, Experiment In Terror / Stalkin'
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
Shiny southwestern sounds and short duration give this a just right feel, with slightly spooky guitar tone and flapping cactus chaps.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a pretty swell surf track. It cuts right to the chase with a glissando and damped reverbed rhythm guitar, and a narrow little riff melody line, accented with tasty whammy. Excellent stuff.
Surf (Instrumental)
Big stinging whammy and a relentless bass line behind a simple riff rock lead and a modern beat. The track works ok, but is a bit too repetitious. The main riff reminds me of a speeded up Jim Thomas melody.
Wild Night At The Bloody Bucket Rock (Instrumental)
Grindcore riff rock instro fare. It's pumped, but not melodic or memorable. In the Link Wray vein without the magic the skinny one delivers.
Twang (Instrumental)
Excellent tango de whammy, tasty licks, deep wham, stinging tone, and that cool tango rhythm.
What The Astronauts Drink Tang (Instrumental)
Moody bluesy fluff with organ, setting a scene, but not developing it beyond its ambiance.
Surf (Instrumental)
Driven surf grind, glissandoes and occasional double picking, with middle eastern air and a Surf Trio feel, but slightly restrained from what that might imply in terms of edge and power. Excellent track, highway bound, whammy swerved, and open road free falling.
Soul Groove (Instrumental)
Slow R&B groove, with organ and soul guitar, in a "Hole In My Soul" kinda feel with hints of Hugh Masakela and the rhythm guitar from Steppenwolf's "Tighten Up Your Wig."
Surf (Instrumental)
Desert surf drive and whammy, glissando action, and a grodie low down riff. Power is the key here.
Wanted Poster Rock (Instrumental)
Desert twang for mechanical bull riders, with a decent riff and a nifty sound. Nice track.
Rock (Instrumental)
Big rock candy grind, with a riff and a prayer, but no melody.
Surf (Instrumental)
What a cool idea this is, with tasty damped licks and a super simple riff that works oh so well. There's enough power and enough edge, and just enough moodiness. Playful and devilish.
Rock (Instrumental)
Dark vibrato grind with an evil sax at the end of a dark hall, sultry like the Viscounts, but edgie and dirty. "Hell Of A Woman" is a really slow groove.
Surf (Instrumental)
Mysterious distant power surf for the old Ford. It's big and swimming in large hall reverb.
Surf (Instrumental)
An unusual melody line introduces this sorta dramatic track. The main track is not very melodic, but just more of the same recurrent power drama.
Experiment In Terror / Stalkin' Surf (Instrumental)
These two covers slowly oozed out in a dark corner of your imagination, where there is no waking up when it gets tough. Spooky, big, distant, ominous. Raw and intensely mean. The screaming sax is too cool!