Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Treblemakers - Flippin' The Bird
 | Canada's Treblemakers second album and first CD. All I can say is WOW! This is miles ahead of their first vinyl release in every way. Infinitely better sounding, and full of their signature vibrance. The mix is clean and well balanced, except for my personal preference of bringing the lead guitar more into the foreground. Excellent disc. |
Picks: It Came From Uranus, High Voltage, The Man With Mandibles, Titanic, It's In The Bag Dad, Fast Food, Dark Eyes, Margaya [Mar Gaya], Annihulation, Yang-Bu, The Grudge, A-Rab, Impact Zone, Fist-Fight, Treble Stomp, The Hearse
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
Right from the crunchy reverb kick, this track endears itself to you. The melody riff is very strong. The rhythm is solid and infectious, and the spirit of the performance is very fine. Powerful and energetic. The double picking is well metered, and the sounds are mighty surfy. A pummeling short board attack on a ten foot face.
Surf (Instrumental)
The Jim Messina - Glen Frey song solidly delivered, with adequate twang and edge, much like the original Jim Messina & the Jesters release. High energy, and wonderful dribbling glissandoes of notable speed and accuracy.
Surf (Instrumental)
Double picked surf rage, flying notes in a sad but pretty melody, and a fine rhythm, plus fine reverb crashes. This is moderately paced number with an organ in a subtle support role, which adds to the mood of the piece. A short intro sample speaks "God told us to laugh at you. That's right, he TOLD us to laugh at you."
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a fine and unusual number, structured much like the Bambi Molesters, but played like the Treblemakers. This track is warm and infectious, and very fluid. It employs just a few simple riffs, but uses them so wisely that it is hard to get out of your head once heard. Great track.
Surf (Instrumental)
Opening like the Dickster opens Miserlou, this is drenched in middle eastern surf, and has that primal tribal kinda magnetism that is so hard to resist. Minor haunting powerhouse. I found this really hard to move on from, playing it several times just for the emotional satisfaction it brings.
Surf (Instrumental)
Fast and playful, surf for the drive through music that twangs at sixty m.p.h. like beat up Rambler with the top down and a belly board in the back seat. Completely fun. Like Homer says, "Ummm - bur-gers."
Surf (Instrumental)
This Russian traditional tune is delivered like it was written for the surf. Solid slithery guitar, and great drums action. The organ underneath is at just the right level to be effective without drowning out the tune. A very nice track, among the better versions.
Surf (Instrumental)
Randy Holden's classic rumbler, powered with solid guitar work and driving rhythms. Quite true to the Fender IV original, just in stereo.
Surf (Instrumental)
This melody is a little like "Titanic" in structure and arrangement, having similar warmth and endearment qualities. Solid infectious driving music. "Annihulation" (sp. Annihilation) opens with a gangster remarking "Be warned. He kills people in order to change their mind."
Surf (Instrumental)
Another Jim Messina & the Jesters song, delivered with the necessary energy and style. The trad arrangement works well for this track.
Garage Surf (Instrumental)
A great band recorded ambiently with PZM's, or so it sounds. Too bad, because the performance is great. For $50, they coulda recorded it properly. I hope a CD is coming soon. They are a good band from what I can tell, and they seem to have a buzz beginning.
Surf (Instrumental)
Jim Messina & the Jesters again contribute material to the set. The sullen Russian influenced middle eastern melody is well suited for the basic arrangement of this band. Solid and very fun. While a lesser Messina tune, this is my fave among their Jesters covers here.
Surf (Instrumental)
Really cool guitar licks on the second guitar remind me a lot of the Bambi Molesters. This stunning original powers the infectiometer to 10 with great rhythms and guitar lines. Remarkably friendly track.
Surf (Instrumental)
"And you're educated? You don't know SHIT!" So says the New Yorker in the opening. This is a playful track, with punches and cries interspersed, early eighties Dick Dale-isms on the guitar, and a dominant organ role.
Surf (Instrumental)
Stompin' fifties progression surf churn. Pure party fun, driven by a pint or two for sure, with flying drum solos and splashy guitar chords, and a final reverb kick.
Surf (Instrumental)
A mighty surfy power driven cover of Lee Hazelwood's classic. The arrangement is Astronauts amped up, with haunting organ rightly coolly supporting the mix with just enough level to create an atmospheric leap forward for this over covered tune. Totally infectious and a cut above the rest, except for maybe the Neon Spores and Cruncher's version.