Reverb Central .:. Review .:.

There's no room for rest and quiet on this disc. Los Plantronics deliver intensity deluxe with thick and threatening songs employing surf and fuzz and mariachi and cowboy and more. Creative, adventurous, and in some cases downright dangerous! The two vocals are the intense psycho boogie of "Bertha Lou," and the intense rhythmic chunk and cowboy dementia of "Lonesome Traveler."

Picks: Once Upon A Time In Noruega, Sidewinder, Surf And A .45, The Casbah, Surfin' The Prairie, Wrestling Midgets, Tijuana Mary Y Juana, Dia De Los Muertos, Crazy Horses, Psycho Bitch From Oz, Evil Tiki, Shake-N-Stomp, Plantrosaurus, Spaceosaurus, Black Mariachi

Mariachi (Instrumental)

Stereo mariachi horns and dramatic drum rolls introduce the bull fight (and, incidentally, the CD).

Mariachi Fuzz Surf (Instrumental)

Big twang and intense whammy, crunchy distorted guitar assault, and a thick, fat sound. The melody line is strong, and the second guitar alternates between vibrato threats and relentless dark fuzz. "Sidewinder" is quite powerful, like Link Wray sped up.

Fuzz Surf (Instrumental)

A couple of gunshots launch "Surf And A .45." Great dry chop rhythms and intense whammy-twango, cowboy punk gallops, and in-your-face volume drive this track home. It's a very strong and powerful song. Dark, magnetic, and very edgy.

Mariachi Fuzz Surf (Instrumental)

This is a cover of the song that Eddie Angel makes so tuff, only faster and with more variation and intensity. "Casbah" is very well developed and powerful in that won't let go way. Great stuff!

Fuzz Surf (Instrumental)

Rising like an oncoming train from a haunting harmonica, "Surfin' The Prairie" rides atop a galloping beat, with lots of well placed elements and chants, plus throbbing vibrato and horns. This is a magnificent and powerful piece of music which features relentless intensity and danger.

Rock (Instrumental)

Thick chunky rhythms run under a circular lead riff as the "Wrestling Midgets" grapple with each other. Huge twango and grind.

Surf (Instrumental)

Hard edged grinding Mexican stomp! "Tijuana Mary Y Juana" is a powerful and infectious track, with great horns, grunting guitar, and a great rhythm. Dramatic, edgy, and loud.

Spaghetti (Instrumental)

A sad and vibratoed guitar opens above a distant moodiness, which endures throughout like the dramatic film score it should be, chorus and all.

Fuzz Surf (Instrumental)

Monster chunk, big horns, utter intensity, and "Crazy Horses" chanted in at the transitions. For a loud and intense track, it has hints of exotica provided by the percussion, surf delivered via glissandoes, frat-garage energy oozing from the loudness.

Fuzz (Instrumental)

This is a stomp and pomp rodeo ride from Hell, with the watchwords being "big" and "loud." "Psycho Bitch From Oz" is all about loudness and drive, with a punky edge and ominous cactus grind.

Fuzz Surf (Instrumental)

A Theremin weirdness sample and creaking door precede this riff rocker. As loud and intense as most here, but less melodic. No less powerful, however, and the sort of thing a grin restrained is required for. The percussion and circulating (active-panned) guitar chops of the bridge are very cool, as is the break.

Fuzz Surf (Instrumental)

Big vibrato and mariachi horns bring a bizarre coolness to one of Dick Dale's earliest instrumentals. The intro is very long and dramatic, but eventually, Los Plantronics break into a powerhouse arrangement not unlike Robert Johnson's Rumblers and Bottle Ups sessions.

Fuzz (Instrumental)

Big frat riff rockin' fuzz chunk played with abandon and aggression. "Plantrosaurus" lives up to its name in the sense that it's big and thunderous, though it's a long ways from lumbering.

Psycho Surf (Instrumental)

Twang and vibrato, active panned instruments circle each other... it's an interlude that's quire cool!

Evil Fuzz Surf (Instrumental)

Yikes! "Black Mariachi" is a monster of dark rhythmic chunk! relentless chords thunder while distant lead lines peak through the heaviness. Detective horns warble, and the danger is overpowering. Not pretty at all, but it will raise the hair on the back of your neck!