Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Mingo Two Thousand - Out Of Our Way
| This is quite a sidetrip for surf fans. Based in swing, jazz, and fifties beat generation flicks, the music here is often adventurous and surprisingly enjoyable. there a a few tracks with surfable elements, though overall most surf fans will not appreciate it. |
Picks: Frankie Machine, Cadillac, Hawks and Sparrows, War Of The Satellites / Let's Dance The Jet, Beat Girl, Brillante, Tulan, Tesla's Menses
Track by Track Review
Swing (Instrumental)
"Apache" drums start out this Indian flavored song, then guitar and horn duel in a sultry soundscape. The melody is somewhat reminiscent of "Beat Generation." Slight surf references exist via the near-spy guitar.
Cadillac Swing (Instrumental)
"Cadillac" is a frothy swing frolic with clarinet and jazz guitar. While it's fun, it's not particularly memorable.
Near Polka (Instrumental)
This is an infectious and bouncy track with great guitar riffs and horn accompaniment over a sort of polka backtrack. Easily adaptable to the surf idiom, "Hawks and Sparrows" has a forward moving gate and circular guitar line that's inventive and very cool.
War Of The Satellites / Let's Dance The Jet Swing (Instrumental)
Classic space rock gimmickry of the Ventures' "War Of The Satellites" is made even cheesier (yes, it's possible) via tweaky electronics and horns. "Let's Dance The Jet" is nicely transitioned into, and saves the track from dismissibility. It's a fancy loungy number with frantic horn honkin' and nervous guitar pickin'.
Beatnik Swing (Instrumental)
This is mighty true to the John Barry original. The horns keep it in the spirit of the film score, as does the jazzy fifties guitar. Quite cool!
Near Surf Swing (Instrumental)
Reverbed rhythm guitar, a surfable melody line, and solid energy give "Brillante" a hint of surf amid its Spanish bullfight party sounds. Very spunky and fun, like it belongs at a fiesta for gringos.
Jazz (Instrumental)
"Tulan" is a bluesy number with a slightly comic street funeral march with mariachis sound. It's more than just interesting, with many influences and smells. I didn't want to like this, but ended up playing it again and again.
Jazz (Instrumental)
Bouncing playful, "Tesla's Menses" romps and stomps without rising above party fun. This is quite OK, it's just not really memorable - at least not at first. But then, it takes on a Mideast jazz air and becomes very interesting, like the impact the Blues Project had in their day. Strikingly out of step with reality, yet fully cool. great horn and guitar work, solid bass runs, and excellent percussion.