Reverb Central .:. Review .:.

The second of the Waikiki Surf Battle of the Bands series features more ultra rare stuff. The whole set appears to be from the 1964 battle, and was recorded ambiently at the Waikiki Shell. This is a bootleg reissue from vinyl. Several vocal are included on this volume, including the Raiders' "Twist and Shout," the Majestics' "La Bamba," the Adventures' "Money," the Frolic Five's "Can't You See," and the Duplex's "Louie Louie."

Picks: Pressure, Banzai Wipe Out, Cruel Sea, Last Night, Walk Don't Run '64 / Move It, Journey To The Stars, War Of The Satellites, Penetration, Surf Jam, Wipe-Out Stroke, Walkin' With Pluto, And I Love Her, Misirlou, Static Beat, The Ward

Surf (Instrumental)

The Pyramids' "Pressure" gets reverent treatment from the Dimensions. Aside from a heavy handed ultra reverbed sound, the arrangement is true to the single. The intensity of the guitars gives it a lot more power than the original.

Surf (Instrumental)

Steve Douglas' "Banzai Washout," originally cut by his studio project band the Catalinas, gets amped up with big fire and deep throated reverb. This is quite close to the Douglas take in attack and tone, as opposed to the more restrained Dick Dale take. Quite aggressive and cool.

Surf (Instrumental)

The Dakotas' surf B-side is well played and presented the way the Ventures cut it. Nothing special.

Surf (Instrumental)

The Mar-Keys' "Last Night" is handled in an slightly disturbed way, with an odd restructuring for surf adaptation. Pretty interesting.

Surf (Instrumental)

Just one verse of the Ventures' "Walk Don't Run '64" introduces a fairly dry and interesting version of the Chantays' strange tune "Move It." Interesting and odd too.

Surf (Instrumental)

"Journey To The Stars" is treated like a strait cover, and is well done. Nothing new here, except the delivery is a bit tuffer and more vibrant than the Ventures' original. The organ part is carried via double picked guitar duet. Pretty cool.

Surf (Instrumental)

The Ventures' "War Of The Satellites" is played straight, right down to the silliness of the embellishing notes. It is more powerful, but still not really interesting.

Surf (Instrumental)

The Rivals arranged this based on the Ventures' version, even using echo instead of reverb. It is less silly than theirs, but also less interesting than the Pyramids' original single.

Surf (Instrumental)

An unlikely name for a Hawaiian surf band (or any other surf band for that matter), but here they are. The Lepricons' take on the Beach Boys' "Surf Jam" is less interesting than the original, but that's mostly because the performance is kinda funky.

Surf (Instrumental)

"Wipe-Out Stroke" is a two-part song binding the Beach Boys' "Stoked" and the Surfaris' "Wipe Out" together. While both are real basic riff rockers, the blend seems to provide more interest. The low growly lead helps too.

Surf (Instrumental)

The Ventures' "Walkin' With Pluto" is moderately interesting under this primitive surf treatment. Nice guitar work, but a pedestrian setting.

Surf (Instrumental)

This is a pretty surf instro treatment of the Beatles' "And I Love Her" coupled with a cheesy horn and organ version of "A Hard Day's Night." Cool up to a point.

Surf (Instrumental)

The Kona Casuals pound mightily at the Dickster's biggest hit. Powerful and amped up, this version sports great glissandoes and fine drums.

Surf (Instrumental)

This is a pretty interesting track. Quite outside what you'd consider trad surf from a rhythm guitar chord progression point of view, yet sporting a very cool lead riff. The chord progression approximates the Revel's "Church Key," and indeed a few bars are thrown in for the break. The Statics won second place in the 1964 battle.

Rock (Instrumental)

Chuck Berry chords and noodling does not a surf instro make, but then here are some shine double picked moments. Melody free nonsense. How they won the 1964 battle is a wonder, but then it was the Beatles' era, and they mostly did rip off Berry's chords, as did the Beach Boys, so maybe it's not so strange.