Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Rover - Surf Meets Che Guevara
 | Politically correct surf? It seems an odd thing, given the generally conservative surf culture and demonstrated failure of socialism around the world. Titles don't make or break the tune. The frequent samples are mostly political and superfluous to the music, and in some cases, an annoyance. The writing is good, and there has been quite a bit of time spent mixing. Sean Rush played all the instruments and wrote all the music. It's a solo project. The music is instrumental rock, but there is not really much that relates to surf music directly or by feel exactly. The liner notes are extensive and limited to anti Republican political statements about the subjects of the songs. Sean is a good writer. I'd like to hear more, but let's leave the politics at home. |
Picks: My Fellow Americans, The Cherry Pie Three, Panama's Root Canal, Spanish Imposition (Prisoner Pinochet), I Have an Honor Student at the School of Americas... and So Do You!, Giuliani Get Your Gun
Track by Track Review
Rock (Instrumental)
The melody of "My Fellow Americans" borrows from classics in spots. The tone is distortion, not reverb, and the second guitar is dry. It's a nice track, with more energy than you'd expect from a totally solo effort.
Rock (Instrumental)
Semi crisp tone echoed for sustain playing a bit of a spy based riff. Solid twango, with a round and full sound. I'm not sure about the title.
Rock (Instrumental)
Double picked surf with a sorta tropical feel to the melody, along with some drama. It's short and to the point, with a solid drive and fluid flow. The samples interfere with the song.
Spanish Imposition (Prisoner Pinochet) Rock (Instrumental)
Not much about this is Spanish. It sports an interesting riff, and a kind of nervous edge. The composition is solid.
I Have an Honor Student at the School of Americas... and So Do You! Rock (Instrumental)
"I Have an Honor Student at the School of Americas... and So Do You!" is a flowing number with no sense of the title, but the feel of an open road in the distance. Somewhat dramatic, somewhat fanciful, and with the Sergio Mendez chorus, somewhat weird. It's an interesting composition, but also seems a little contrived.
Rock (Instrumental)
Keyboard boing boing for 40 seconds, and just about when you think it's all over, the song comes in. "Giuliani Get Your Gun" is a fluid number with twangy whammy second guitar, and a melody line just east of surf. Quite a nice composition, actually.