Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA  | Well now... this is a left turn into a culdesac just off highway 1. The curl rolls in a block away and the beatniks try their best to imagine life outside the smoky dens of beat-generation pads. It's surf strained through the pre-exotica beatnik laid back groove. If that doesn't sound cool, then I apologize for bad metaphors, 'cuz this is way cool. Classic surf melodies played on dry soft electric guitar, bass, and bongos. Too fun! |
Picks: Surf Rider, Pipeline, Peter Gunn, Sleep Walk
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
The rhythm guitar plays an interesting damped chord progression under this classic Nokie Edwards melody. The arrangement is soft and delicate, and the performance fluid. It's quite an unusual sound for this song, transmuted from surf into a dryer landlocked sound that still yearns for the coast. The bongos add a spooky sense of hipster lounge.
Surf (Instrumental)
A strange guitar introduction replacement for the close-out glissando of the original quickly gives way to a dry and infectious treatment of the Chantays' "Pipeline." The near-acoustic sound of the track creates a really cool ambiance. Add bongos and you're transported to a beatnik dive at the beach. Very cool.
Surf (Instrumental)
Old Pedro Pistola is on the make again. The bongos groove under the intense whammy and grumbly bass for a sense an angry East Village beatnik wishing for any life but his. Pretty suave!
Surf (Instrumental)
The slither and silk of the lap steel is sweetly translated to guitar and softly fingered bongos. This is very pretty.
