Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA
Les Megatones - Voici Les Megatonesdotdotdot
artworkThis is the first album from Les Megatones, issued in 1962. Primal Canadian instrumental rock'n'roll.
Picks: Rideau S.V.P., Ebb Tide, Funiculi-Funicula, Diane, Monsieur Solitaire, Nut Cracker, Megatwist, My Blue Heaven, Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White, Night Train, Unchained Melody, Silver City

Track by Track Review


Rideau S.V.P. dotdotdotdot
Near Surf (Instrumental)

This is a spirited guitar instro with a melody line and style that seems to straddle traditional rockabilly and an almost presurf mentality. Spunky and very cool, "Rideau S.V.P." flies by, leaving you wanting another go at it.

Ebb Tide dotdotdot
Light Rock (Instrumental)

"Ebb Tide" is slowly played with a large amount of tape echo on the guitar. Verging on MOR, yet retaining just enough rock credentials to stay afloat.

Funiculi-Funicula dotdotdotdot
Rock (Instrumental)

This traditional song has seen light rock treatments a few times. Most often, the emphasis is on the "light" and not on the rock. While this is a long way from loud, it's spirited, and very credible. "Funiculi-Funicula" gets a new lease on life!

Diane dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

A slow and echoed intro thankfully yields to an uplifting arrangement. Delicate damped plucking on the second guitar beneath the over echoed lead creates an interesting contrast. Poppy, yet credible.

Monsieur Solitaire dotdotdotdot
Near Surf (Instrumental)

A grand damped second guitar very similar to the guitar in the Valiants' "The Valiant" drives the rhythm as a fluid echoed lead plays a somewhat moody melody line. Verging on surf, "Monsieur Solitaire" is a mighty nice track!

Nut Cracker dotdotdotdot
Near Surf (Instrumental)

This is an almost splashy guitar translation of B. Bumble and the Stingers' way cool "Nut Rocker," with great drums and bass rumble beneath slightly restrained infectious guitar work.

Megatwist dotdotdot
Surf (Instrumental)

This theme song sports a circular melody line and a basic groovy rock beat. Entirely fun, if not overly inventive, "Megatwist" stays with you and rolls with solid energy.

My Blue Heaven dotdotdot
Rock (Instrumental)

Fats Domino's "My Blue Heaven" gets a fairly strait instro treatment. Cool, kinda cute, and very listenable.

Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White dotdotdot
Light Rock (Instrumental)

A billion elevator artists cut "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White," virtually none with even vague rock credentials. It's orchestral nature never quite translated across the generation gap. While this is relatively tame, it also has a nice rock groove to it.

Night Train dotdotdot
Rock (Instrumental)

James Brown's bitchin' R&B groove "Night Train" has been done a lot by rock bands of various styles, from the Rumblers, the Renegades, the Virtues, the Surf Riders [Cornells], the Bobby Fuller Four, and the Ventures, to Travis Wammack, the Viscounts, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and the Champs. Each of these bore the mark of the artist. This is perhaps the straightest rock instro treatment. Twang, whammy, echo, and a simple GGBD lineup. Quite cool!

Unchained Melody dotdotdot
Near Surf MOR (Instrumental)

This often covered vocal found a billion arrangements applied to it in the late fifties/early sixties, from the sappy to the blue-eyed soul of the Righteous Brothers. This is almost surfy, and is a simply tasteful.

Silver City dotdotdot
Cowboy (Instrumental)

A cowboy beat and a playful Broadway western kinda riff makes for an entirely enjoyable track. Not really memorable, yet really fun and well played. More than Nashville twang or TV western, less than cactus rock, and simply cool.