Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Robert Johnson and Punchdrunks - Aloha From Havana
 | This fine CD was issued in 1997. It's easily the band's surfiest CD, with reverbed lead guitar and double picking, albeit mighty dirty as is required. maybe my fave release, this displays their more melodic and adventurous side, and even includes a taste of weird keys and theremin in spots. Worth seeking out. |
Picks: Getaway, Thrilla In Manilla, Aloha From Havana, Lex Luthor, The Fuzz, Les Adventures de Tintin, Theme From The Persuaders, Link's Voodoo, Spy vs Spy, Do The Punch, Garlic Chicken and Shots, Cecilia Ann, Stuck In Tunisia, I'm Branded, Gladys' Pills, Lothar Goes Berserk, Dope Safari In Casbah, Untitled
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
Growing from a howling into a thundering menace with surf guitar, "Getaway" is fluid and powerful, and hard driving. Very big track, with intense whammy and biting tone. Excellent.
Surf (Instrumental)
Huge thundering rock 'n' roll with a hint of dangerous surf twang. This monster needs no protection... while not exactly melodic, it rings with major power, and is augmented by a fine sax break. Like a bad day at Waimea.
Surf (Instrumental)
Throbbing raw guitar behind a surf riff with reverb. Big twang and driving drums. The melodic lead and the dark tones combine to create a gray stormy day epic. Quite cool.
Surf (Instrumental)
A little tweaky, introduced by threats from Lex Luthor, and riffed into an uneasy house of danger. Big sustain, cool effects, and a sci-fi kinda weirdness. The Theremin is a very cool touch.
Rock (Instrumental)
Link Wray's rhythmic reverberator is all fuzzed out and made extra threatening. Thick and dangerous.
Surf (Instrumental)
Film score-ish, adventurous, surfy, and quite unusual. Very good double picking over a churning rhythm guitar. Spacy, splashy, and pretty scary.
Theme From The Persuaders Surf (Instrumental)
John Barry's "Theme From The Persuaders" is even more dramatic in a dissonant setting. Dark and ominous.
Surf (Instrumental)
Robert Johnson and Punchdrunks' original tribute to the Linkster. In the right groove, dirty, nasty, sustained, ratchety, and dark. Yup, that's Link!
Surf Spy (Instrumental)
Original spy sounds, intense surf, dangerous trench coats, and weird sounds from Jonas Johasson. Rhythmic, grindy, and very cool to say the least.
Surf (Instrumental)
A kinda Swedish "The Crusher," but with way fewer lyrics and a stilted grinding chord thrash. Must be way fun live.
Surf (Instrumental)
Grinding classic chicken boppin' rock 'n' roll. Ostensibly a tribute to the Olsson Brothers, "Garlic Chicken and Shots" goes just where you'd expect, and makes you glad it does.
Surf (Instrumental)
It's interesting to see that they covered the Surftones original instead of the more familiar Pixies version. Nastier that the original, but quite reverent. Whammy, twang, reverb, and great drums.
Surf (Instrumental)
Middle eastern themes, speedy power, caravans on the run, infidels in danger. Thundering drums and throbbing bass, and dangerous guitars.
Surf (Instrumental)
Link Wray's nasty tune gets grodier and meaner despite the use of double picked reverbed guitar. Pure trash for the curl.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Gladys' Pills" is a pretty unusual track. Double picked lead riffs, fuzzed rhythm, pumping bass, and metronomic drums. Dissonant, disturbed, storm surf rage. Yikes!
Surf (Instrumental)
Tribal drums pummel the silence, and the thrashing guitars grind up the night. Not melodic, but grindy and powerful. Some pretty cool effects and strange sounds.
Surf (Instrumental)
A journey through the middle east for dangerous purposes. This delicate and almost ambient track speaks softly of oasis palms and burdened camels. Bedouin bargain for the hidden cargo. Very nice track.
Surf (Instrumental)
Out at the end of track 17 is a grinding post punk power track with rhythmic guitar thrash. Way big and thrashy, and quite angry.