Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Mermen - Krill Slippin'
 | About 5 years ago, I got this cassette in the mail from these guys in San Francisco that I'd only heard slags about from the local snobby nosed purists. It was a 16 track cassette album called Krill Slippin'. Well, I listened and listened. There was something really cool going on under relatively unsympathetic production. I thought about it for several weeks, and decided to write the band with encouragement , production values suggestions, and some trad surf sensibilities. I wasn't sure what was trying to be accomplished. It could go in a really great trad direction, or it could become what it has... the best band in the world! Anyway, this has been 5 years coming to CD. It's very important in that its great music, good listening, and, when combined with At The Haunted House provides true perspective on the development of a marvelous band. This will please any serious Mermen fan as well as instrumental fans... OK, so I'm a bit biased toward these guys, but that doesn't take away from their music. |
Picks: Ocean Beach, Krill Slippin', Neptune's Revenge, Splashing With The Mermaids, Kaena, Over The Falls, Run Don't Walk, Sand, The Drift, Big Day On The Bay, Hammerhead, Abalone Daze, Soul Surfin', The Whales, By The Sea I Will Stay Forever, The Goodbye
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
This song has become the modern surf classic. This version is much like the '88 demo, but with more refined band performance.
Surf (Instrumental)
I think this is one of my favorite Mermen songs. This has been rethought numerous times by Jim, and it originally had lyrics. It is a great rolling exercise in melody and imagery.
Surf (Instrumental)
An early dramatic number, with double picked leads, and an optimism of power.
Splashing With The Mermaids Surf (Instrumental)
Very pretty song, clean and melodic. It has an unabridged ability to endear itself to you. Very pleasant and flowing, and it contains ample sea imagery.
Surf (Instrumental)
With an unusual drum cadence, an airy moody guitar line, and mysterious bass riff, this song is artful and wistful, sad and lonely, and romantic.
Surf (Instrumental)
Crashing from the lip, hitting the coral, it's all, here. Rhythmic chunky impending disaster.
Surf (Instrumental)
A totally infectious melody line, a happy driving pace, and exquisite picking. "Run Don't Walk" was originally titled "Malibu '59." Marvelous.
Surf (Instrumental)
Slow sinewy imagery, sadness, and island beauty.
Surf (Instrumental)
Double picked melodic surf with a mid tempo attack.
Surf (Instrumental)
A bit of drama, a dose of imagery, a modicum of melody, and a dash of style come together for an unusual song.
Surf (Instrumental)
Images of a happy hammerhead sliding through the waves with the filtered light dancing on it's skin. Yup, that says it.
Surf (Instrumental)
An early very emotional and sensitive melody, delicate intricacy. It's really hard to imagine Jim was never in a band before this. Allen and Martyn are the perfect partners for his art.
Surf (Instrumental)
This powerful, melodic and quite surfy track from the Mermen really drives you down the road. It is an incredibly beautiful and energetic. This is Insect Surfer Dave Arnson's favorite Mermen song. It is very melodic, and most infectious.
Surf (Instrumental)
This early rendering of Jim's ode to the monsters of the deep is based on their sounds. It is eerie and tribal. Jim's guitar notes are long and stretched and reverbed, while the backtrack is tom tom driven and bass thumpy. Very emotional listening.
By The Sea I Will Stay Forever Surf (Instrumental)
Semi Latin melodic breezy Polynesian sea worthy gorgeous track. Nuff said!
Surf (Instrumental)
Semi-slow dramatic melodic sad and airy sound. Pretty and very enjoyable.