El Ray
Highwave To Hell
23 Golden Hits 2001-2006
2007
Graciously provided for your listening pleasure by Teisco @ brilliant 320
Phil Dirt says:
This is a totally solid retrospective of this fine band, with the added bonus of a number of newly released tracks added for good measure. Recommended, this CD has a large volume of great tracks.
Picks: Circus Monkey, Casbah, The Spider, The Plan, Spacecar 2001, The Cashier, Jack The Samurai (Defeats All Evil), Enter Skolastik, The Agent vs. The Next Mexican, Hypnotic, The Danger Of TV Radiation, Car Hire From Hell, From Kazakhstan With Love, Carlos, Chainsaw Boogie, El Coyote, The Paratrooper, The Man With The White Tie, Volcano, White Trash Caravan, Tornado, El Ray
Circus Monkey
****Spy Surf Instrumental (stereo)Dark and thrashy, "Circus Monkey" screams glissandos and surfisms in a heavy syrup of tubular destruction. An excellent powerhouse of green water assault.
Casbah
****Surf Instrumental (stereo)Richie Podolor's "Casbah" is given a different face that is both restrained and powerful. In some ways, it's like the Mermen version, and in others, it's gentle. Very rich and cool.
The Spider
****Spy Surf Instrumental (stereo)"The Spider" starts off slow and easy, but quickly launches into a thick swirl of chords and double picked frenzy. Very adventurous and refreshing.
The Plan
****Surf Instrumental (stereo)Tweaky, twisted, demented... and that's the opening. "A Shot In The Dark" at an evil asylum where the inmates are in charge. Quirky and playful, and very cool.
Spacecar 2001
***Rock Instrumental (stereo)"Spacecar" is a heavy surf thrasher with a dark mean edge. Mostly rhythm dominated and forceful, it fires a barrage of guitar bullets with impunity. More rock than surf, but very strong and double picked at times with a vengeance.
The Cashier
****Spy Surf Instrumental (stereo)This low key number sports a rich melody line and very pleasing arrangement. "The Cashier" is dramatic in a downplayed and sad way. Very cool indeed!
Jack The Samurai (Defeats All Evil)
***Surf Instrumental (stereo)On the spy side of surf, with duel lead guitars and organ, "Jack The Samurai (Defeats All Evil)" is a thick and powerful song with a surf-discotheque sound. Big twang chords and pumping bass break.
Enter Skolastik
****Surf Instrumental (stereo)From an angular start, "Enter Skolastik" becomes a very cool instro with an attractive melody line and rhythmic second guitar, along with tom tom action. It's a very pleasing song.
The Agent vs. The Next Mexican
****Surf Instrumental (stereo)Spaghetti western structure and whistling a la Ennio Morricone, this slow and haunting song is very scenic and appealing in a relaxed sadness kind of way.
Hypnotic
*****Surf Instrumental (stereo)Rhythmic chunk and spooky European spy melody lines haunt this interesting instrumental. "Hypnotic" is an unusual and attractive song with a kind of crystalline feel, coupled with just a touch of spaghetti western.
The Danger Of TV Radiation
****Surf Instrumental (stereo)Brash guitar chords, stereo echoed guitar lead spookiness, and an ominous backtrack... "The Danger Of TV Radiation" presents a dangerous sound in an uneasy arrangement that's quite befitting the title.
Car Hire From Hell
***Danger Desert Surf Instrumental (Stereo)With a big chord intro like Rumble and sliced choking, "Car Hire From Hell" launches right into a double picked rampage of sound. Giant and intense.
From Kazakhstan With Love
****Danger Desert Surf Instrumental (Stereo)Cool percussion and groovy spy organ run beneath a pair of tasty guitars, one playing a trembling melody, and the other playing a captivating pattern The swap roles in the breaks. "From Kazakhstan With Love" is a very cool track with a suave edge.
Carlos
****Danger Desert Surf Instrumental (Stereo)"Carlos" must be a loner, 'cuz this song portrays a lone character of the kind spaghetti westerns are often about. Some fast tense verses, some more emotional, and some feedback. This is a thick and layered track with a very large sound. It seems to transverse great expanses. Quite engaging.
Chainsaw Boogie
****Danger Surf Instrumental (Stereo)"Chainsaw Boogie" moves slowly with richness and a gloomy underbelly. The whistling organ and chorus create a sense of dungeons and gloom, while the bass and drums bode ill for the morrow, and the big chords rule. There are many darknesses wrapped up in this track, and a rising sense of layered nervousness. As the wash rises in density, the tension rises along with it.
El Coyote
*****Danger Desert Surf Instrumental (Stereo)This slow track does a fine job of portraying a desert view where lone predators hunt prey. It's a lonesome track with great whammy chords and a long view. Drama, beauty, volume, and haunted shadows. Cowboy meets the surf in a halfpipe.
The Paratrooper
****Danger Desert Surf Instrumental (Stereo)Nervous intense notes, large grumble, and dark danger emote from this minimalist track. It's not melodic, but rather is all about setting a scene of threatening and forbidding images. Very heavy, with a thick and thunderous sound.
The Man With The White Tie
****Surf Instrumental (Stereo)"The Man With The White Tie" is a grand spy-ish number with mystery throughout, as well as a melodic flow. Rich textures and a slightly ominous edge grant this track a very cool sound. The double picked verse is quite nice.
Volcano
*****Surf Instrumental (Stereo)"Volcano" is a strong stomper with double picked lead power and spy charm. Its mysterious melody and powerful delivery make it quite menacing and compelling.
White Trash Caravan
****Surf Instrumental (Stereo)Well now, "White Trash Caravan" is a lumbering number with a dark underbelly and circulating riff. The drama rises as the song proceeds. Seriously sound track bound, it's commanding and big. Inserted shouted lines add a demented edge. It doesn't really musically suggest anything white trash, and there's no musical reference to a caravan, stylistically or as a borrowed element from Duke Ellington.
Too Drunk To F**k
**Surf Vocal (Stereo)This unpleasantly titled number song is a vocal that's down right disturbed. You can imagine the content.
Tornado
*****Surf Instrumental (stereo)This demo version of "Tornado" really rocks. Excellent rhythm and lead guitars, rock solid bass, and superb drums. Driving compressed double picked leads ride atop a high energy bed. Excellent!
El Ray
****Surf Instrumental (stereo)Choppy percussive and playful, "El Ray" has some of the feel of the Mermen with heavy duty driving. Great energy and power, with intense guitar lines. Lots of rock edge.
1 comments:
One of my favorite new instro bands of the decade.I find some similarities to Fifty Foot Combo and Stereophonic Space Sounds Unlimited which is a very good thing.I would love to see these guys live.This collection is amazing.A classic for sure.
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