Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Greg Anderson and Maverick Taylor - Surf Party
 | Released three from the modern equivelent of the old studio system... guitar played against drum machine. The riffs are near (but not in) to the genre, but the lack of chemistry and reality keep this in the K-mart racks and thankfully out of the stores. Low energy project music, and not a single surf beat in sight. It's crap like this that hurt surf the first time around, and it's sad to see that there are still genre pirates and ripp offs still out there. |
Picks: The Wake, Ride The Wave, Whitewall, On The Board, Blue Surf, Surf Party, Surfer's Dream, Surfer Solitude, Florida Girls, Like A Beach, Tears In The Sand, Six Days On The Beach
Track by Track Review
The Wake Fake Surf (Instrumental)
Not exactly surf music, yet sporting a few of the surfisms that make "The Wake" palatable. A decent melody riff that's too unchanging fronts a cheesy backtrack.
Fake Surf (Instrumental)
A rough glissando opens "Ride The Wave," which is a low key and surfable instro with an unchanging riff and some whammy chords. It's funny, but it is an OK track, though its break is just guitar wank. Kinda pretty, but completely forgettable.
Whitewall Fake Surf (Instrumental)
Riff rock with a little digital reverb does not a surf instro make. The periodic glissandoes prove that Greg Anderson and Maverick Taylor don't play surf guitar. They are unable to create either the well metered liquid water fall or the firehouse tube screamer.
On The Board Fake Surf Jazz (Instrumental)
Cheesy keys play the sort of stuff that sometimes appeared on surf film soundtracks, the mindless keyboard riffin' of the surf free generation. Pure mung.
Fake Surf (Instrumental)
This is a pretty track, with a tasteful guitar line and a moody sound. It's not surf, lest you be without ears, but as soft rock guitar instros go, it's not bad. The melody riff is quire pleasant.
Surf Party Fake Surf (Instrumental)
No, it's not the Dunham / Beverly track that the Astronauts made so cool. Just keyboard chords, some unremarkable Little Richard piano, and nearly carnival thinking.
Surfer's Dream Fake Surf (Instrumental)
The first attempt at a rockin' instro on this disc, "Surfer's Dream" edges out of the parlor into onto the porch, but is light-years from surf or real rock 'n' roll.
Surfer Solitude Fake Surf (Instrumental)
This is a really slow track, with a little shimmer, which does not get it out of the last dance category. Spatial and misty, but surely not surf, and that chorus... argh!
Florida Girls Fake Surf (Instrumental)
keyboard bass and way too much owed to the Beach Boys' "California Girls" to be an original, though Greg Anderson takes writer's credit. Unadulterated crud!
Like A Beach Fake Surf (Instrumental)
Sorta grumpy twang and too much snare reverb... a blues that's not really beach worthy, let alone surf.
Tears In The Sand Fake Surf (Instrumental)
This is a very slow vibrato shimmer last dancer. Kinda coastal, but more MOR than surf. Forgettable.
Six Days On The Beach Fake Surf (Instrumental)
fake aggression, low-E grumble, and a lack of melody. Jam, twang, stereo digital reverb on the guitar, and... well... churchy organ. really chumpy.