Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA  | Finally, the Diamondheads CD has arrived. Whew! |
Picks: The Diamondhead Stomp, Wavos Rancheros, Dented Fender, Rocking Chair, English Channel Surfing, Surf West, Young Man, Night Surf, Home Alone, Taco Wagon, Tangorine, Diamond Head, Hammerhead, Cry For A Shadow, Waving, Midnight
Track by Track Review
Surf (Instrumental)
The great drums and whammy power of "The Diamondhead Stomp," combined with the handclaps, make this an interesting composition. The melody riff is friendly and the whammy makes it sound pretty darn big.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Wavos Rancheros" is dangerously optimistic, with dark reverb and an oceanic swell to the melody line. Solid and churning with surfability, and tuff double picking.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Dented Fender" displays many changes, with differing guitar dynamics, resulting in different tone, and changes in approach, coupled with great drums and a very interesting bass line make this stand out. Great glissandos and splashy surf power.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is a soft surf song with warmth and liquid melody lines. "Rocking Chair" may make you think of decrepit oldsters on the porch, but this is not what it's like at all. Pretty, romantic and islandic.
Surf (Instrumental)
"English Channel Surfing" opens with the "Walk Don't Run" drum intro, which leads to a refreshingly cool melody with big twang and whammy, and a warm inviting sound. The jangle of the guitar adds to the English feel, and the whammy chords are beautiful. Very nicely arranged.
Surf (Instrumental)
This spaghetti western is vibrato twangy and very cool, with a fine melody line related like a second cousin to "Secret Agent Man," like might have happened if Enio Morricone had written that TV spy theme. Very fine listening, infectious and memorable.
Surf (Instrumental)
This is an after the prom walk home, a surf reinvention of some lost fifties doo-wop romancer. Slow and pretty, with a close dance at hand.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Home Alone" twangs with an almost spaghetti spy feel over a moody backtrack. The melody is very pretty and slightly sad. The surf emanates from every verse. Soft and pensive, with a sense of the sun just about to rise as the surf settles after a storm.
Surf (Instrumental)
Dick Dale's ultra cool "Taco Wagon" is less polka and more surf than ever. Warm and playful, and smoothed out. Completely enjoyable.
Surf (Instrumental)
With a surfy "A Fool Such As I" melody line, "Tangorine" flows with a liquid romance and underlying drama. Very pretty.
Surf (Instrumental)
A slightly sped up version of the Ventures' "Diamond Head," complete with the string swipes. Very well executed.
Surf (Instrumental)
"Hammerhead" features a catchy riff and rhythm, with driving drums and pure surf bass. While it's riff based, it's very pleasing and infectious. A little like a lost Pyramids tune, with guts and whammy. This is quite a fine track.
Surf (Instrumental)
The often covered pre-hit days Beatles instro "Cry For A Shadow" is done differently than other covers, with hand claps and sparkling liquid tone, and some shouts of joy. Not pumped like Los Straitjackets does it, but more like the Beatles with reverb. Very cool!
Surf (Instrumental)
"Waving" is soft and slow, with a liquid evening groove that employs soft slow whammy chords and reverb to lull the night into providing a romantic backdrop. Beautiful and islandic!
Surf (Instrumental)
Slowly setting in the west, the sun drops behind the orange curtain as the day winds down. "Midnight" is a pretty stroll for the end of the prom. This is a splendid cover of the Shadows' "Midnight," played in an almost "Sleep Walk" arrangement.
