Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA  | Dave Crider's Mono Men decided to release "an all instrumental recording dedicated to all those who can't stand the way we sing," hence the title "Shut Up!" The music is thick, brutally powerful, and sometimes melodic. It drips Link Wray and the [Surfin'] Smithereens, with meaner tone and thicker darker ambiance. |
Picks: WRECKER, Phantom On Lane 12, Little Miss 3-B, Switchblade, Reset, Warm Piston, Mr. Eliminator, Rumble
Track by Track Review
Rock (Instrumental)
"WRECKER!" is a thick crusty instro, like a darn heavy backtrack. It is dependent on it's awesome power for survival. Power, power, and more power, but inadequate melody.
Rock (Instrumental)
Thick dark, thematic, and very huge. The melody riff is friendly as mean as the guitar tone, and the bowl-you-over attack leave no doubt about the angst underlying the chunk.
Rock (Instrumental)
Another backtrackish ultra thick grinder, mid tempoed and dark. It has no particular personality. There's more melody in the bass riff than the guitars.
Rock (Instrumental)
Monstrous Link Wray homage, paid with volume and power, and very nice guitar work. Don't get in the way of this evil mother. The incredible mid section pickslide rules!
Rock (Instrumental)
Bass glissandoes, shreddin' guitar riffs, and surf format (if not sound) drive this track into hit land. There's a magnetic draw here that grabs you and won't let go. Can you spell 'Oomph!?"
Rock (Instrumental)
I know that the sleeve says "Warm Piston," but this is mighty close to "Mr. Eliminator." Big. boffo powered, and muscle car driven.
Rock (Instrumental)
Super flux garage presentation of the Dick Dale classic done in an almost identical arrangement years earlier by the Smithereens. Hot and edgie.
Rock (Instrumental)
Link Wray lives right here. Huge, sustained, and a lot like the Johnny Kool and the Rattlesnakes version of a decade earlier. Super grind and power scrape abound. Yikes!