Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA  | This 12" release from Surfpatrouille is part from their last album, and part brand new. The newer material verges on stunning! Huge guitar, powerful bass and drums... they must be amazing live! "Slot Car Racer," "Elefantenrennen" and "Bees Knees" are highly recommended! |
Picks: Slot Car Racer, Sprint, Elefantenrennen, Runaway, Bees Knees, Warp VI, Venus Pussy Polka Riot, Man O' Surf, Tony Soprano, Survest
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
A slow bluesy intro fades in, but then, from a stop, it launches into a monster Dick Dale-ish big guitar twang. Spectacular power and thick sound pump up double picked leads and dramatic arranging. Really cool!
Surf (Instrumental)
Big twang, almost Austin sounding, and riff based, "Sprint" pumps and splashes with way more power than melody. It's hard not to like it.
Surf (Instrumental)
Chunky and percussive, "Elefantenrennen" sports a catchy riff and huge guitar tone. Lots of interesting stuff happening, and plenty of loudness in the production. The near "borrowing" of the "Baby Elephant Walk" riff is a nice touch.
Surf (Instrumental)
Ringing guitar chords play the rhythm, and then in comes an edgy guitar driving the melody in a rock format. A unique and very effective arrangement, with a ton of power.
Surf (Instrumental)
If bees had knees, they sound like this under an electron microscope. Big twang, hard driving reverb crashes, and a spunky backtrack. Really nice!
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a heavy surf riff slammer, with thundering tom toms and in your mug twango. "Warp VI" straddles the intersection between big guitar Austin twang, the Smithereens and surf. Huge and powerful, with a great cacophonous self destructing feedback ending.
Surf (Instrumental)
Like a spy epic from another world, "Venus Pussy Polka Riot" is menacing and fluid. There's a sense of Laika and the Cosmonauts, but with more edge. Quite heavy and intense.
Surf (Instrumental)
Harmonics, weird danger, mean tone, disturbing spy themes, and heavy attack. "Man O' Surf" keeps you going, especially when the lead guitar breaks into a double picked duel. Excellent and original sounding.
Surf (Instrumental)
More rock than surf, "Tony Soprano" is a heavy plunderer, with double picking on some verses and a stormy feel. Intense, yet not nerve wracking.
Surf (Instrumental)
A grodie low-E intro yields to a melody with a slight eastern European feel. The bridge is tuff, and the drums excellent. Solidly arranged, "Survest" is a fine adventure in cold water surf, with a chilling vibrato break.
