Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Vivisectors - The Case History Of John Doe
 | Sort of an almost complete Vivisectors compilation, The Case History Of John Doe is full of dandy surf and rock instros with plenty of charm and style. Russia's Vivisectors keep on producing excellent mid tempo instros that please. |
Picks: Intro, Big Diff, Cowboy Surfer, Good Time, Hank, God Bless You!, The House Of The Rising Sun, Mad, Monkey Hunter, Motorpsycho, Radio Spell, Fried Chicken, Alien In A Government, Russki Psycho, Cruel Love, Enigma Of John Doe, Ghost Surfer, Scary Song, Midnight Travel, Terrorophobia, True Story, Walking, Son Of The Beach, Moonlight Tango, KGB Moscow Nights, Cold Waves, Outro
Track by Track Review
Spaghetti Surf (Instrumental)
"Intro" is a cowboy kinda track with a galloping gate and swirling organ against a spaghetti guitar. This is a fine track with a cool melody and open plains feel. An excellent tack.
Surf (Instrumental)
Big slow whammy chords, island mystery, cactus plains warmth, and a bit of vibrato throb. "Big Diff" is a very nice track with a friendly structure and sound. Quite nice.
Garage (Instrumental)
As the Leslie warbles, the cowboy rides a longboard across a wake. Not surf music at all, yet kinda cool despite the overwhelming level of the organ.
Surf (Instrumental)
Sparkling guitar in a long chord environment where the waves are just off the shore and the sun is setting. "Good Time" is optimistic, twangy, and very cool. This mid tempo song reminds me just a little of the eighties LA band the Wedge, but it's not at all derivative of that sound. Great track.
Surf (Instrumental)
Cowboys on parade bow to Hank Marvin in an influence way, but hardly derivative like most such songs. "Hank, God Bless You!" celebrates the spread of rock instro without being a clone. A tasteful riff and cool accents.
The House Of The Rising Sun Garage (Instrumental)
This is an interesting treatment of the blues classic "The House Of The Rising Sun," with big vibrato and throbbing fuzz lead. Powerful and graceful, dark and moody, and just grindy enough. Totally cool!
Garage (Instrumental)
Dark and spy-menacing, with churning Leslie, "Mad" is an angry song with an unsettling almost horror edge. Rough textured and pumpin' rock.
Garage (Instrumental)
A galloping beat launches "Monkey Hunter," but disappears in favor of a solid rock beat under a colorful riff and well suited organ. The melody line is excellent, and the haunting sound of the organ adds a reverent sense of danger to the vibrato guitars.
Garage (Instrumental)
Punky edged chunky rhythm and an Indian melody, along with occasional percussion injections, make this non-melodic rocker very cool. It demonstrates the power of simplicity well done. "Motorpsycho" is a fine song with a catchy coolness.
Surf (Instrumental)
A thin guitar and percussion start out like they are emanating from a table radio... after a verse or two, the full bodied sound comes forth, revealing the damped second guitar and whirly organ. The melody is attractive and very simple. Surfable with richly vibratoed guitar.
Country (Instrumental)
With checkered napkins for wipin' those fingers after the lickin' is all done, the Vivisectors make nice with a barn dancin' picnic prancin' good time song. Way too fun!
Garage (Instrumental)
On the faster side, "Alien In A Government" riffs and rocks like there's a stranger in the DMV and only you know it. Some solid vibrato a la Sweden's Rumblers. Tuff and fun.
Garage (Instrumental)
The clock ticks off the seconds as the wacko gets ready to explode. "Russki Psycho" becomes a heavy dark epic with a mechanical beat and lots of power. Strong and menacing, with an interesting melody line. It continues to rise throughout the song, with some fine textural changes.
Garage (Instrumental)
"Cruel Love" vibrates with the shimmer of vibrato, issuing a pretty melody line and liquid flow. It's attraction lies in its warmth and subtle thickness. It's an excellent track for an open road adventure.
Spy Surf (Instrumental)
This slightly espionage tinged track is pretty and moody, with haunting organ and a sad guitar line. The tasteful arrangement and solid writing underpin a simple and enjoyable song.
Garage Surf (Instrumental)
A little spooky, this aquatic and playful song rides on the shimmer of vibrato and the ripple of the sun reflected off of sunset break. "Ghost Surfer" calls to the open road along PCH, where the warmth of the fading day still lingers. An excellent track.
Surf Monster (Instrumental)
Vibrato sends chills down the spine as spooky organ lumbers along side. The lead melody speaks of monsters lurking in the shadows. "Scary Song" is scary in a good way. It does not demand attention, but rather earns it with atmosphere and a very cool melody riff.
Garage Surf (Instrumental)
The flow of "Midnight Travel" suggests its title well. It's a pleasant song with an attractive riff and structure. Not soft really, but it is on the gentle flowing side.
Dangerous Intrigue (Instrumental)
A timely title for a rhythm pattern with sampled voices overheard. The melody line evolves into a kind of spy vs. spy thing that's ominous in an unseen danger kind of way.
Rock (Instrumental)
This song bops between rockabilly and surf instro with a small combo feel. A little like a Johnny Smith tune or maybe Chet Atkins on the lite rock side, "True Story" has a lilt to it that's very endearing.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Walking" is a slow moving song that brings forth images of the beach on a warm afternoon with the breeze at your back. Very pretty and sunny.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Son Of The Beach" employs a shimmering vibrato lead to play a fine surf lagoon melody line. It's on the light side, and is very pleasing. The melody and guitar remind me some of the Challengers.
Surf (Instrumental)
This soft rock instro is pretty and warm, with vibrato guitar and a very beachable melody line. A little sad, "Moonlight Tango" also has an optimistic future on its horizon. Very nice.
Rock (Instrumental)
Those KGB boys are on the loose, looking for wayward wave riders. Not finding any on those cold "KGB Moscow Nights," they leave the creatures of the dark to their own devices. Essentially a radical reworking of Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen's "Midnight In Moscow," this track is inventive and attractive, with edge and power.
Surf (Instrumental)
What's colder than Mavericks or Ocean Beach? It must be the surf on the Black Sea. "Cold Waves" is a chilling and fluid surf instro with an attractive melody line and great tone. A fine track.
Surf (Instrumental)
A great pumpin' beat runs under a circular riff rocker to close the CD. Simply fun.