Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Bruce And Son - Surf And Sun
 | I think what can be said fairly is that these are, at best, underdeveloped concepts for backtracks to pedestrian rock vocals, which exist on two very uninteresting tracks. Avoid at all cost! |
Picks:
Track by Track Review
Stingray Shuffle
Bues Rock Faux Surf (Instrumental)
Big blues rock chords chomp out a riff in lieu of a melody. Only the occasional whammy chord suggest surf in any way. The drums are really b-a-d, as in bad timing and lame patterns.
Riptide
Bues Rock Faux Surf (Instrumental)
Whammy chord instro and endless noodling in lieu of a melody, bass grumble and dull drums. "Riptide" is to surf as Alanis Morrisette is to rock'n'roll.
Small Steps
Bues Rock Faux Surf (Instrumental)
A circular riff cycling endlessly does not a song make, and those incredibly bad drums are - well - amateur at best. Geesh!
Surf And Sun
Bues Rock Faux Surf (Instrumental)
In a variant to the bridge chords to The Rolling Stone's version of "Fortune Teller," the song holds a little promise, but your hopes are quickly dashed as the lameness of repetition and mindless jamminess take hold. It's hard to imagine anything less compelling than the empty guitar work, but then there are those drums!
Sunset
Bues Rock Faux Surf (Instrumental)
What "Sunset" offers is hope of a sundown curfew, but alas it's not to be. A riff that never really evolves is just that - a riff.
The Curl 
Bues Rock Faux Surf (Instrumental)
A moderately surf beat, near glissandos, vague coastal references, and no melody. "The Curl" could serve as a backtrack to a potential garage instro, but a melody would need to be written.
Wipe Out Bues Rock Faux Surf (Instrumental)
Oh my gawd! This is perhaps the most lifeless cover of The Surfaris' "Wipe Out" I've heard in forever. The drums are really off the mark, and the guitar so not surf. Still, it's better than most here.
Drum Solo 101
Bues Rock Faux Surf (Instrumental)
Recall all those long drum solos from the big rock halls of the sixties and how boring they were, then imagine it's played in a stiff and stilted fashion. Skip right over it.
Wahine Bues Rock Faux Surf (Instrumental)
Blues rock backtrack sounds and structures do not a surf instro make. No melody, and nothing original, though there are a couple of interesting lines accented by throbbing tremolo. Not worth your time.
The Crest
Bues Rock Faux Surf (Instrumental)
Just a backtrack, and not interesting at that. Thank goodness this CD is over!