Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Atomic Mosquitos - Meltdown
 | This is an amazingly strong release. Great writing and arranging, superb playing, and consistently good sound. It's really hard not to like this CD. It moves along with infectious energy, and can easily be absorbed in a single sitting. Recommended! |
Picks: Banzai Fallout, The Villain In The Panama Hat, Mosquito Royale, Dusty Dusty Dusty Rides Nugget Nugget Nugget, Hollow Point, Sno Balls And Pit Beef, Sabre Dance, Dark Side Of Chimps, Ahhh, The Atmosphere!, Hank Scorpio, It's The Mountain Dew Talking, The Liquidators, Meltdown, Mosquito Fight Song
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
"Banzai Fallout" is a romping good time painted with rich reverb tone. The drums are very good, and the bass and second guitar compliment the lead guitar really well. Up glissandos, pounding tom toms, and strong energy. Very strong!
The Villain In The Panama Hat Surf (Instrumental)
Double picked fury on a dark horse. "The Villain In The Panama Hat" is loaded with spunk and attractive power. Lovely whammy action and great chords. This is really well written and played!
Surf (Instrumental)
"Mosquito Royale" has an infectious rhythm and an adventure driven melody. Great energy and tone, with notes dribbling like water drops from the lead guitar. Perfect for a coastal drive at the limit. This song really grows on you.
Dusty Dusty Dusty Rides Nugget Nugget Nugget Surf (Instrumental)
A bit of moodiness lurks in the melody, while the rhythm track is all about traveling the open road. Rich tone, and fine performances from everyone.
Surf (Instrumental)
Muted reverb second guitar presents a very compelling rhythm pattern against which a lovely melody is played. The bass plays a complimentary pattern to the lead,and the drums keep time. The lead employs different registers to create change. "Hollow Point" just might be my favorite track on this album.
Surf (Instrumental)
Upbeat and spunky, with a genuine sense of open road and optimism. Some of the dribbled guitar lines are too cool. Energy wise, "Sno Balls And Pit Beef" reminds me of some of Pollo Del Mar's more rhythmic tracks. Very nice.
Surf (Instrumental)
Few have surfed Aram Ilich Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance" up, but here it is all decked out in lush reverb. A two step beat and rhythm pattern adds a curious grin to the mix. Superb!
Surf (Instrumental)
Whoa! Dark muted surf chunk, theremin weirdness, and sci-fi danger at every curve. "Dark Side Of Chimps" is all about the thunder and darkness. The theremin imitates the the call of the chimps.
Surf (Instrumental)
Deep into sci-fi we go with whirring theremin and a slightly ominous melody. Tom toms pound in the break. Imagine "Out Of Limits" on The Day The Earth Stood Still while Klatu surfed the shore break. It's really hard to categorize "Ahhh, The Atmosphere!," but I don't think it matters much.
Surf (Instrumental)
Your mega-menace is here to share your house. The evil genius and owner of Globex Corporation (The Simpsons) never had this much optimism and surf energy, but he just might be playing the wailing theremin here. Pretty fun!
It's The Mountain Dew Talking Surf (Instrumental)
"It's The Mountain Dew Talking" is an adventurous track with sparkling energy and motion centric rhythm. You'd think from the title it would be a song of inebriation, but it's a traveling song with a fine melody and great drums.
Surf (Instrumental)
Dark distortion, stinging whammy, racing lead lines, intense energy, and a compelling sense of racing across gigantic walls of crystal blue under a tropical sun. Splendid!
Surf (Instrumental)
Great reverb chop chords, bass rumble, and tom tom frenzy drive the spyish melody over the top. The chop chords are loud and insane! the theremin wails in the mist. Very interesting!
Surf (Instrumental)
Abut a half minute of approaching crowd and mosquito noise lead you to a cowboy beat and friendly melody. The slides in the breaks are very nifty, summing up the fun of the whole track! It's hard not grin!