Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Flying Padovani's - Live 2004
 | Henry Padovani got his instro band back together in 2004 for some shows and recording. This set features songs played live before an appreciative audience. The audio is taken from video that has been converted to QuickTime® movies not available to the public, but which display fine performances. These guys rocked in their prime and rock now that they are playing again. |
Picks: 3 For Trouble, Against The Fall Of The Night, Bumble Bee, Coco, Rattlesnake, Swan Lake, Walk, Don't Run, No Place To Hide, Wipe Out, Pipeline, Caravan
Track by Track Review
Big Guitar (Instrumental)
The primitive sound does not dampen the enthusiasm and raw amplitude of "3 For Trouble." Big guitar crunch with serious danger. Mix spy andLink Wray, and you get this grodie number.
Against The Fall Of The Night Cowboy Surf (Instrumental)
This is an excellent cowboy surf instro, with big whammy, warm guitar tone, and a cactus sense of adventure. Dramatic, full of open space, and very well played. "Against The Fall Of The Night" rolls down an open country road with the smell of pollen and the feel warm sunshine on your back. This is my fave from this disc.
Big Guitar (Instrumental)
This ultra dirty performance of "Bumble Bee" (Ventures arrangement mostly) is tuff enough, and features some grumbling bass glissandos. Yikes!
Big Guitar (Instrumental)
"Coco" opens with a high note heavily echoed riff reminiscent of the Shadows, but the rest of the song is a surf rant with edge and lots of energy, plus glissandos and drama. Excellent song!
(Instrumental)
Dark and ominous, "Rattlesnake" rocks and sways with a James Bond / Link Wray feel. Powerful and big, with some cool drums and menacing tones.
(Instrumental)
This is a large and tribal version of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake." Hard drivin', fast, and powerful. The drums are really cool, and the performance hot!
(Instrumental)
Major fire and spunk in this punkified version of the Ventures classic. Kinda like a ballsier version of the way JFA arranged it, only with big guitar-bass-drums syncopated glissandos. Yikes!
Post Modern Surf (Instrumental)
The single version of "No Place To Hide" is nothing at all like the LP version, in fact it's not even the same song. "No Place To Hide" is an infectious almost Devo instrumental with cool hooks. Live, it takes on more rock edge and less quirkiness. A splendid track!
(Instrumental)
The Surfaris' "Wipe Out" seems a natural in the Flying Padovani's live set. Big and grungy, with excellent Ron Wilson-esq drums. Powerful and rhythmic.
Big Guitar (Instrumental)
This roughshod version of the Chantays' classic "Pipeline" rides high on angst and energy. A classic surf beat runs beneath aggressive guitar and rumbling bass. The glissandos seem like a mix of double picking and pickslide, sounding extra grodie.
Big Guitar (Instrumental)
Duke Ellington's signature song "Caravan" is raw and tribal. This is a hard driving arrangement based on the Ventures' cover. A lot of energy and spunk here.