Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Dave Wronski - Gravity Wave Length - An Adventure In Surf
 | These tracks were cut for commercial use, but surely should spend some time in Dave's hands for development into full fledged Slacktone slammers. In most cases, Dave Wronski is playing against a second guitar, bass and drums. the added guitar gives his normally full solo sound a different edge. Some really fine writing and playing here. Don't go looking for this, or bugging Dave either. It's reviewed here just to complete the catalog of Dave's fine output, and to honor one of modern surf's great writers and players. Dave has been an integral and influential part of the surf scene in Southern California for 20 years. He's a second wave artist, one of a handful that have survived through the third wave with his intense and wholly unique style, widening the net that is surf music. |
Picks: Jalepeno, Party Favors, Spaghetti Spy, Surfin' Blue, Energy, Tanked, First Crush, Shootin' The Falls, Slip 'n Slide, Burnin' Up The Coast
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
Totally excellent, with Dave's warm tone, and spirited power rhythm. Tasty and really infectious. It is Mexican flavored and tune with powerhouse chops and a beautiful melody. Powerful and clearly a Dave Wronski tune. Tuff glissandoes and lots of fine picking. Somewhat ominous, but mostly optimistic.
Surf (Instrumental)
A little on the jammy side, and with one foot in familiar territory, "Party Favors" prances around the room with a definite party atmosphere. The stop-start bridge gives it some variation in structure. Some really nice picking and whammy action, and a splendid glissando or two as well.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Spaghetti Spy" is a great piece of music. Like the title implies, it straddles the fence between spaghetti western and spy epics, and liquefied through the surf. Infectious, no, enthralling. This is a spectacular piece of music.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Surfin' Blue" moves softly through island themes and into vacationland where tourists relax on white beaches not missing their cell phones. The frothy lilt to this is gentle and fluid.
Surf (Instrumental)
Big twango, slammin' skatin' whammy power, and hard drivin' glissandoes. On the fast side, not as rich as say "Skateboard Commando" or "Miserlou," but a fine ride on a dangerous curb. The drum break adds a tribal feel to this fast action thriller.
Surf (Instrumental)
Like a grodie low down inversion of the Trashmen's "Hangin' On Me," this chomps and rocks with definite drive. Rhythmic and hooky, "Tanked" reflects a restrained look at inebriation busted, with lots of guitar flurries and amped energy.
Surf (Instrumental)
At first blush, "First Crush" seems to float softly on a traditional teenage stroll framework. Then again, in Dave Wronski's unique way, it's delicately enriched with gorgeous guitar work and deceptively simple writing. Very pretty, and very effective.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Shootin' The Falls" is a riff oriented surf grinder with a semi-grunt chunk and the potential to be quite intrusive. Built around tight little hook and some string bending, Dave Wronski's guitar takes this little number and embellishes it into a higher state. Quite nice!
Surf (Instrumental)
A dribbling glissando opens this semi-soft surf splash, with Spanish influences and liquid double picking. Restrained and gentle, yet emotionally powerful and very cool.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Burnin' Up The Coast" is a bit of a firebrand, with double picked guitar flying around the highway, looking for that exit. Grumbly, freewheeling', and unusual. The addition of sax adds even more to the textural delight this is, as does the drum solo and nerve breaking guitar.