Reverb Central .:. Review .:.

Volume six continues in the search for rare rockin' instros. Some ultra rare surf, some fine near surf, some infectious piano boogies, and some totally fun rockabilly. All genuine rock 'n' roll with unassuming energy and fun. Nearly all of these tracks are not available elsewhere on CD or vinyl comps. The whole series is a must have for instro collectors.

Picks: Knockout, Black Widow, Lobo, It's A Reamer, After Effects, Jaguar, Runaway, Rock, Guitar, Rock, Rocking, Monongahela, Firewater, Dizzee, Midnight and Paul Revere, Tinkle Bones, El Diablo, Desert Boots, Creeping Thunder, Nightbeat, Driftin', Russian Roulette, Swampin', The Shock, Avalanche, Clumsy Dragon, This Brave New World, (my old) Kentucky Home Rock, Comanche, Stompin', Tahiti, One-Armed Bandit

Piano Boogie (Instrumental)

Bobby Mizzell must have been a piano player. This raucous piano boogie is a pumping monster. "Knockout" is highly rhythmic and entirely fun. Not a guitar in sight.

Surf (Instrumental)

This surf obscuro sports a lead guitar that's buried pretty far in a somewhat murky mix. Too bad too, because, while this is pretty simple, it's actually quite infectious. There's lots of energy and great drums rolling and rocking throughout.

Near Surf (Instrumental)

A grodie Low-E guitar grumbles under an introductory narrative, then launches into basic riff rocker with enough chamber reverb to make it sound pretty surfy. A cool and mighty obscure track, with overdubbed handclaps and a rock solid beat.

Rock (Instrumental)

In some ways, this is like a less interesting second cousin' to the Gamblers' "Moondawg." Similar simplicity and structure, but a little less drive and murkier sound. Still, it's pretty infectious in a fifties rocker kinda way.

Near Surf (Instrumental)

Big vibrato throb guitar over a "Running Scared" (Roy Orbison) beat, with a nasty sax. It sounds like an Al Casey kinda track. Just slightly south of surf, this cool track broods over who knows what lost love with an edgie rebel rock feel.

Surf (Instrumental)

Great electric piano vibrates against nasty sax and great drums in this murky little single. Not even a little melodic, yet pretty tuff and driven.

Rock (Instrumental)

This is a basic riff rocker with honky tonk piano and raspy sax. Nothing unusual happening here, no hooks, no catchy riffs, just a bit of spunk. This is not the Del Shannon tune.

Rockabilly (Instrumental)

This is a soft rockabilly boogie, with piano and riffin' guitar. Brushed drums and jammin' guitar.

Rockabilly (Instrumental)

Damped pluckin' and near-glissandos spice up this guitar boogie shuffle. More manic and primitive than cool.

Rockabilly (Instrumental)

"Monongahela" is a fast rhythm rockin' jam with only its manic energy to keep it afloat.

Rock (Instrumental)

Echoed guitar drives a semi-melodic riff over a rolling basic rockabilly neat. It's OK, but not particularly interesting. The Diminshuns were from Houston, Texas.

Rockabilly (Instrumental)

Sax duets and one-chord riffin' just barely make a song. Definitely on the filler side of the single.

Near Surf (Instrumental)

Great damped guitar rhythms pump out a relentless non-melodic sludge while the tom toms pound and the dogs bark. "Midnight and Paul Revere" is mighty infectious despite its creative limitations. It's on the edge of being surfable. Pretty fun.

Piano Surf Boogie (Instrumental)

Piano tinkle and walking bass thump. This primitive riff rocker sports a "ooh-wah" kinda chorus and lots of fun,. Under the fifties riffin' can be heard a near surf guitar double picking its heart out.

Near Surf (Instrumental)

Not a hint of the Devil in this basic riff rocker. More than a jam, but missing the chemistry of a well developed song. It is pretty close to the surf envelope, and does have a coastal feel.

Rockabilly Boogie (Instrumental)

Not a melody in sight on this pumping thumper. One chord piano pounding and distant sax.

Rock (Instrumental)

The thunder crashes as the Royal Tones break into a piano rocker with some nice guitar tidbits. Not dismissible, but not really memorable either.

Rock (Instrumental)

Cool guitar chops and riffin' over a walking bass line and pumping piano dominate this 1959 single. Otherwise, it's just a jam.

Rock (Instrumental)

"Driftin'" is a riff rockin' post boogie progression. slightly twangy and somewhat gutty, but not very interesting.

Surf (Instrumental)

This is the "hit" version, and was a single by the Teen-Beats originally recorded under the title "Surf Bound." This early version is more primal, and way better than any vinyl issue for clarity and purity. Great.

Riff Rock (Instrumental)

Riffin' sax and basic stop-start rock in a standard fifties vein. Not particularly interesting or inventive. The guitar tone is sub surf, but hints of things to come.

Near Surf (Instrumental)

Big guitar chords crash and strut through the acoustic chamber reverb while two note progressions wander along. "The Shock" hints of surf a little, but just dances around the edges.

Near Surf (Instrumental)

Echoed guitar and a murky backtrack, with just enough infectious guitar to keep it interesting. The guitar patterns remind me a little of some of Paul Johnson's early work.

Near Surf (Instrumental)

Grodie and playful, this is a little like a demented variation on the Chantays' "Move It." Pretty cool, with rich guitar tone and lots of interesting damped chops. It's hard not to dig this track, if only for its unique sound and grinning structure. Very cool!

Near Surf (Instrumental)

In the Atlantics' vein, but more bass heavy. I'm sure it's an Atlantics tune, but can't place it at the moment. Intense and infectious.

Sax (Instrumental)

Big rockin' sax belting out an old standard. Nothing special here.

Surf (Instrumental)

This is the tune that wailed in Pulp Fiction. Howling honking sax Indian flavored "Navaho Trail" kinda tune with major edge. San Luis Obispo's Revels cut "Comanche" with more guts and danger than just about anything else in their repertoire.

Rock (Instrumental)

Man, what a simpleton frat rocker this is. The sax man can blow hard, but he uses damn few notes and left style at home. The rhythm guitar riff is Neil Hefty's "Batman." Boring.

Near Surf (Instrumental)

Thumpy in a Bob Vaught kinda way, with edgie echoed guitar playing a cool riff and dancing around the surf idiom. Great tribal drums and cool licks.

Surf (Instrumental)

With R&B underpinnings, and a soft spoken kind of happy soul, "One-Armed Bandit" rolls a long with cool sax injections and a simple and pleasing guitar line. Nice track.