Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Collection: Original Early Rock Instrumentals
| A few bright spot lurk in the grooves of this LP, including tracks from the Sting Rays and the ultra cool Royaltones. |
Picks: Madison Blues, Rhythm Rock, Drum Shuffle, Grazin, Earthquake Boogie, Twitchin', The Chopper, Honky Tonk Guitar, High Octane, Jambo, Black Lightning, Midnight Express, Panic, Zoobee, Beavershot, Mad Surfer, Surfer's Walk, Shimmy Shuffle
Track by Track Review
Rock (Instrumental)
Raspy sax grind with piano and a basic rock beat. Much more about the nasty sax than a song, though the melody is the classic "Madison Blues."
Rhythm Rock Rock (Instrumental)
The chord progression from "Folsom Prison Blues" is the main feature of this otherwise unremarkable guitar instro.
Rock (Instrumental)
Like a backtrack waiting for some inkling of a melody, this is relative tame. The drums breaks are fiery, though not particularly original.
Grazin Rock (Instrumental)
Throbbing vibrato and relentless chords in a slow boogie setting. A long way from interesting.
Rockabilly (Instrumental)
Bass glissandoes open and raging drums punch hard under a guitar boogie shuffle riffola. Fast and furious, but not particularly original. If not for the drums, this would languish in the forgettable pile.
Surf (Instrumental)
Your basic progression, repeated repeatedly, creating a redundant redundancy. Fun frat dance thing with honky sax.
The Chopper Surf (Instrumental)
Fifties party rock, with a rollin' lead line and party shouts. Cool piano, but otherwise just riff rock.
Rock (Instrumental)
"Honky Tonk Guitar" is a basic honky tonk riff rocker, though the guitar's reverb and low-E delivery add to the effect.
Rock (Instrumental)
The assaultive sax plays a variation on "Red River Valley." Hot sax and frat energy, but lots of power. It's not great writing or anything, but it sure has spunk and fire.
Jambo Fifties Rock & Roll (Instrumental)
"Jambo" is a basic rock number with great piano and rollicking guitar, lots of drive and fine upright bass, all driven by wonderful drums.
Surf (Instrumental)
The only surfish track the Royaltones ever did, and it's been comp'd several times on releases from Holland's White Label. A cool tune for sure. What I wanna know is, when is there going to be a CD from the masters of their stuff. Flamingo Express is a killer track.
Midnight Express Rockabilly (Instrumental)
This is a typical B-side raver, a progression intent of rhythm, but without a melody. The sax is nasty and cool.
Rockabilly (Instrumental)
Rapid fire guitar with cool double picked guitar lines and fifties unabashed drive. Way fun, and infectious too.
Zoobee Rock (Instrumental)
Rhythm dominated fifties grind with shouts of "woo" and "zoobee." Nonmelodic, spiced with handclaps, and underwhelming.
Beavershot Strip Rock (Instrumental)
One of many tunes from the early sixties with "beaver" in the title. You have to remember it was the beginning of the free speech movement, and euphemism was the only way to get product out when the subject was sex. Low down and grodie, but without melody.
Surf (Instrumental)
Averaging 15 years old, Springfield, Illinois' Sting Rays recorded "Mad Surfer" c/w "Surfer's Walk" in 1963. "Mad Surfer" is a raging sax and guitar glissando number with raw edge and power. More riff rock oriented, still it has a certain power and infectious feel.
Surf (Instrumental)
Saucy sax and plinking piano play out a surf walk as the title implies. Nonmelodic, but primitive fun and nasty around the edges with reverb.
Fifties Rock & Roll (Instrumental)
Echoed basic riff rocking piano roll stuff with a cool keyboard draw. It's just not enough to set the world on fire.