Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Wetsuits - The Golden Tones Of The Wetsuits
 | Australia's Wetsuits blend lounge, surf, and generous portions of cheesy grins to create a totally enjoyable listening experience. The surf edge is subservient to the lounge, yet present in most tracks. Quite a cool CD. |
Picks: Flight Plan, Out Of Limits, Safari-So-Good, A Shot In The Dark, Doctor Who, Little Storping, Foggy Morning, Dangerman, Casino Moon, Man Of Mystery, Department S, Callan
Track by Track Review
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
Console organ whirls beneath loungy guitar chords over an inviting rhythm track. "Flight Plan" is an adventure in an airport lounge while waiting to board. The melody line has a sense of "Endless Summer" about it, but from a distant tarmac.
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
This Mar-Kets' tune is a perfect vehicle for these loungy cats to veer off on their own private wave. The polite approach is wistful and almost Mister Rogers in its innocence. Very cool!
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
The delicate damped rhythm guitar supports the friendly lead as it splashes carefree sunsets and excursions to the far away secret spots of the world. Infectious and fluid.
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
Henry Mancini's often covered "A Shot In The Dark" gets a new does of cool-slushy at the hands of the Wetsuits. Verby and cheesy, and pretend period fun. The grins on the lads' faces come right through the monitors.
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
The theme to England's long lived TV sci-fi series seems almost too appropriate here. Organ whirl and lowbrow effects, just as cheesy as the series.
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
"Little Storping" features a henry Mancini kinda bass line and high school sci-fi sound. Amid sax honks and keyboards swirls lie the soft underbelly of the secret love we have for low budget black and whites. A little storping goes a long way.
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
"Foggy Morning" is a soft and virtually liquid view of a the quiet of the fog. Very pretty indeed!
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
Edgy and beat dominated, "Dangerman" sports distortion and grumbly fuzz bass. The animated melody is fun and a little dangerous. The organ plays a subservient role to the scratchy guitar.
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
This is a sorta Link Wray like riff rocker, thick and traditionally structured in an AABA progression, but with a more adventurous bridge than many. Fun and edgy.
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
The Shadows' "Man Of Mystery" is nicely done, with reverence and without copying the Hank Marvin sound, making one of the cooler covers. tasteful, loungy, and slightly aquatic.
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
Dramatic and cheesy, "Department S" swirls with cool organ and damped surf reverb rhythm. The melody is sad, yet the rest of the players invoke optimism and innocence. Very suave, and very inviting.
Surf Lounge (Instrumental)
Surf guitar, vibratoed for danger, and cheesy organ (in the good way), combine with a backtrack of haunting and well developed depth to create a scene of graveyard sadness.