Reverb Central .:. Review .:.

The second in the unreleased Supertones vault purge series... this is in many ways an unreleased Shadows tribute. A few of the tracks have marginal to dreadful sound, but as outtake issues go, this is actually a pretty good CD.

Picks: Telstar 2000, Shin-Dig, Apache, Perfidia, Diamonds, Wonderful Land, The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt, The Letter, Atlantis, The Lonely Bull, Comanche Sunset, I Feel Fine, Jet Black, Holiday Inn Spain, Calhoun Surf, Shanghai Surf, Diamonds, Vintage Surf

Cover (Instrumental)

This is a sorta calliope approach to the Joe Meek / Tornadoes' original arrangement. Just an average merry-go-round at the zoo cover.

Surf (Instrumental)

This is a tasteful cover of a Shadows tune, though it's more reverby. Somewhat restrained, still listenable. The "yee-haws" of the band add a flavor of a barn dance or rodeo. Relatively tame.

Surf (Instrumental)

Nicely played, but a long way from either the charm of either of the originals (Jorgen Ingmann vs. The Shadows). A pleasant journey, moody and surfy, but nothing to set it apart.

Surf (Instrumental)

The Ventures' arrangement, but with wet tones. Straight ahead rendition, meaning it's a pleasant listen, but without that unique character required to set common covers apart from the original or the pack.

Surf (Instrumental)

Jet Harris and Tony Meehan still have the most interesting version of this, but this is a mighty close second. It's low-low lead and acoustic accompaniment combined with the cowboy rhythm track gives it a marvelously unique quality. Very cool. The bass is mysteriously out of phase on the track, giving it a dissonant feel.

Surf (Instrumental)

One of the most highly cherished of the Shadows tunes, perhaps due to it's haunting melody. This is a fine clean cover, right true to the intent with a bit of the old springs...

Surf (Instrumental)

This is the only "surf" tune the Shadows ever intentionally cut, and way off the mark genre-wise. This is a tepid rendition, less active than most others.

Surf (Instrumental)

The Box Tops' hit... instrumentally treated with cool guitar and carnival organ... it seems to fit together well. A restrained performance with a melodic sweeping feel.

Surf (Instrumental)

As gentle as the original, refined and delightfully plucky. This is among my favorite Shadows tunes, and I think I like this version just fine.

Surf (Instrumental)

Sol Lake's wonderful tune, played with a wet guitar smoothly slithering out the melody. Much less energetic than the Tijuana Brass version, and less silky than the magnificent Dream Syndicate version.

Surf (Instrumental)

Shimmering Indian-island mystique and a sultry melody captivate you as you soak up the audio environ. Piercing and gentle.

Surf (Instrumental)

The Beatles' tune... just a so-so instro. I much prefer the Packards' rendition.

Surf (Instrumental)

Jet Harris' signature tune, ambiently eked out in a marginal recording. The performance is suave to the max, but the sound sucks.

Surf (Instrumental)

This Ray Beats' tune has less of the vacation character the original so well portrayed, but is enhanced with a bit of reverb. Pleasant, and not often covered.

Surf (Instrumental)

The Overtones' first, brought forward with Danny Amis to the Ray Beats and then Los Straitjackets, and morphed slightly here into a more fluid piece with great piano, but a lot less edge than any of Danny's versions, or any of the several Nor-Cal surf band covers.

Surf (Instrumental)

Keyboardist Tim Sullivan penned this. It's smooth and melodic, but a bit undeveloped. It lacks spit and polish, and energy. Still, it's a nice tune.

Surf (Instrumental)

Interesting piano dominated with a nearly inaudible guitar melody. Underdeveloped, but potentially cool. It sounds like a variation-bad mix or backtrack of "Calhoun Surf."