Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Lost Acapulco - Acapulco Golden
 | Release 4 for Lost Acapulco is a full CD of well recorded and mixed instros that show a band that has matured considerable since its last CD. Many fine tracks here. |
Picks: Mision Malvarosa, Por un Tubo, Gambas y Birras, Tangatutanga, Luna Luau, Surf Mongol, Hollywood Baby, Acapulco Golden, Las Calaveras del Justicio (El Regreso), Gatecrusher, Aqua Vulva, Frenesick, Roqueta to the Moon, Untitled
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
Dark fuzz riffs and a minimal progression in dark tone over strong bass and drums. Great glissandoes.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Por un Tubo" is a fast-ish number with great glissandoes and a dark melody line. Mean surf for dangerous waters. It's a fine example of what can be done with garage surf when the desire to record well is there. Crisp and aggressive.
Surf (Instrumental)
Heavy dirty bass and fuzz, and spooky, almost space spy guitar tone. An uneasy darkness emotes from "Gambas y Birras" as it progresses. Double pick lead, ominous rhythm, and a solid performance. It ends with the bass cacophonously decaying. Very cool.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a decidedly unique track, not in its simple melody riff, but in the tonality of the occasional glissandoes. Lots of energy.
Surf (Instrumental)
Hey, this is very cool. It's a garagy recording, but the damped surf guitar under the lead plucks so cool between whammies, and the melody line is very surfable. A little Spanish flavored, coastal curl shaped, and just waiting for an incredible ninth wave. Very nice.
Surf (Instrumental)
Frat rock chop chords and laughter, and a minimal riff. The lead, once it arrives is playful. A fun track for sure.
Surf (Instrumental)
Tinny piano thinly plays a rockin' progression for about thirty five seconds before the band kicks in to rock out with garage rock firmness. dark at times, and featuring an infectious rhythm.
Surf (Instrumental)
A Davie Allan-ish intro with pick slide yields to a fuzzy biker rock kinda track. Heavy and open road friendly.
Las Calaveras del Justicio (El Regreso) Surf (Instrumental)
Big vibrato throb and a darkened mood... "Las Calaveras del Justico" is a fine moody track with a cautious optimism lurking in the reverb. Drama and a solid backtrack support a fine instrumental with a cautiously optimistic sound. The melody is very good, and the imagery quite obvious. The sight of a bay below the cliff-top vantage point's green grass puts many things in perspective. The melody riff may be dark, but it's also fluid and very enjoyable. An excellent track!
Surf (Instrumental)
Los Straitjackets' "Gate Crasher" is played well and with respect. Not special or reinvented, and the rhythm guitar is too out front, but otherwise a tasteful cover.
Surf (Instrumental)
Aside from the obvious title, "Aqua Vulva" is a gentle, if slightly dark, instro with a moderate pace and engaging melody. Pretty, yet depressing at times. The effect is a compelling surf instro with a magnetic sound.
Surf (Instrumental)
Fast drums and bass run beneath a riff rocker with some fine double pick guitar lines. While it's minimal, and there are jungle shuts, "Frenesick" ends up being a splendid track.
Surf (Instrumental)
Soft guitar lines circulate above gentle seashore sounds. Shimmering chords and perfect drums and bass complete the picture. It's a picturesque song with a very gentle emotional sadness to it.
Surf (Instrumental)
Out past the end of "Roqueta to the Moon" is a rockin' jam with tuff glissandoes and lots of energy. Oddly produced drums are my only complaint. Lost Acapulco were clearly having fun cutting this.