Tuesday, March 31, 2009

It's Scary Out There In The Fiberglass Jungle


Fiberglass Jungle
1998
Ripped at a dense jungle-like 320
*
Looks like Napolean Dynamite drew the cover. "Is that a liger?"
*

As Gregory Nicoll writes in the inlay of the cd ..."It was 1963.The first wave of the California surf sound was at its peak when a construction crew on the Ballonna Creek jetty asked the locals to clear their surfboards from the beach.The teens grouped the boards closely together along the south side of the jetty,nose down in the sand.A couple houndred yards away,guitarist Al Sichol of the Crossfires looked up to see the mass of boards protruding over the top of the sand dune and to his eyes it looked nothing less than a "Fiberglass Jungle".Many waves have splashed against the California shore since then ,but the tune Al was inspired to write , remains a classic!Reinterpreted here by the Surf Kings,it's the overture for another beach gathering where many bright new boards join the jungle...The whole wild bunch of'em shake proudly to the powerful sounds of watery reverb,kickin' drums and deep-divin' twangmaster whammys which evoke the feel of the ocean rising beneath you and sting of sea salt in your nostrils.It's all part of a vibrant genre known as surf music."
*
Tracklist
Fiberglass Jungle - The Surf Kings
Chupacabra - Soda Pop Spys
Batwing - The Torpedoes
Surf Before Sunrise - Los Mel-Tones
Toothless Cannibal - The Sandblasters
Who the Hell Is Fast Eddy?!? - Mayhem Brew
Boom With a View - Dirk Boom & The Overdrive Orchestra
Hobnail Boots - Jeff Hart
Mung Taco - The Bezerkers
Under the Green - Squid Vicious
Evolution - Way Out West
Davy Jones' Locker - The Fabulous Planktones
Caipirrina - The Aquamen
Surf & Skate All Nite - Hot Tecate!
Piha Death Rip - The Hollow Grinders
Surfonica - Surf Report
Foam Aroma - The Mill Valley Taters
Planet Satan - The Swamp Donkeys
Agent Woodrow - The Woodies
So Sensitive - The Sub-Mersians
Unhooked - King Alcohol
Topena - Tyrskykitarat
Theme From S.K.I.M.A.N. - The Skimen
El Alacran - Kelp
*

Monday, March 30, 2009

Peanut Butter And Jellyfishin'




The Bahareebas
Jellyfishin'
2005


*
Ripped by Teisco del Mar at a dazzling 320

*

Switzerland, mostly wellknown for it´s mountains, goats and cheese finally shows that there´s more behind this country than just being a tax oasis for german millionaires. The ambassadors of swiss rock´n´roll are called THE BAHAREEBAS and believe me these guys know how to keep a party swinging. They´re always trying to catch the biggest wave and surf on it like there´s gonna be no tomorrow. Yeah, THE BAHAREEBAS are a traditional surf- combo with a distinctive affection for the garage-punk mayhem of the sixties and certainly one of the best to come outta Europe in quite some time. Their organ driven instro sounds , sometimes even enriched with some spooky vocal parts remind us a lot of the sadly missed BOMBORAS. You can easily hear the twangin´ surf influence of Mr. Dick Dale in all their guitar work and they must have listened to a lot of authentic beat and teen-punk stuff to come up with an album like that. This record will not just please fans of surf legends like the ATLANTICS and the ASTRONAUTS, but everyone who´s going mad for primitive rock´n´roll and demented "Back from the grave" alike garage-punk. Let´s go jellyfishing!


*

There are many bands today playing surf music either they re living nearby a coast or up in the highest mountains and they were many more bands playing that kind of music a few years ago but in my humble opinion there are only some of them that have managed to capture the true feeling of the music they perform! Undoubtedly, the Bahareebas are one of the authentic performers. In this 12 song album you will have the pleasure to enjoy real waves of surf madness with titles like: “Vampire Beach”, “Safran”, “Superkings”, “Ocean Cowboy’s Last Ride”, “Robo Shark In Gefahr”….
Do not file under the Bomboras but do file next to the Bomboras!

*
Tracklist

01 Superkings
02 Dunewalk
03 Vampire Beach
04 Lollipop Whore
05 Karate Island
06 Back To Details
07 Winona
08 Safran
09 Umba
10 Ocean Cowboy's Last Ride
11 Don't Steal My Show
12 Robo Shark In Gefahr
*
http://rapidshare.com/files/215577541/The_Bahareebas_-_Jellyfishing.rar

One Wave Two Wave Three Wave More



9th Wave
Surf Denial
1999

*
Biography of an East Coast Surf Band:
The ground swells of the 9th Wave were first witnessed in the mid 1990s when guitarist Mike Rosado began writing surf music in the Connecticut wilderness, miles from the nearest ocean. By the summer of 1997, the 9th Wave lineup included Mike Lewis on bass and Jim Nichols on drums. The trio recorded the band's debut album, Cruising for Mako, in 1998 and soon began to attract critical acclaim as Connecticut's premier surf instrumental combo, opening up for such musical luminaries as Dick Dale and the Amazing Crowns.
In 1999 Rosado and Nichols teamed up with bass player Denise Dixson to release 9th Wave's second CD, Surf Denial, and enlarge the band's touring radius throughout Southern New England and eventually down South. After a summer appearance in North Carolina at Sleazefest, Chapel Hill's preeminent Mardi Gras of music, moonshine and mayhem, the band added Go-go dancers to an already elaborate stage presentation, which has been known to include palm trees, surf boards, flamingos, tiki torches and fog-shrouded Polynesian masks.
The new millennium saw 9th Wave featured on three CD compilations in addition to being highlighted in numerous publications throughout the world. In the midst of a busy performance schedule, including two appearances at Sleazefest 2000, the band produced a third CD, Hurricane, the much-anticipated follow up to Surf Denial. Pursuing the diverse musical trajectory begun on the last album, the CD ventured through several styles of instrumental music including surf, spy, lounge, hot rod, sci-fi, exotica and western twang.
Following the Hurricane release, 9th Wave's line-up made a gradual shift from three-piece to four-piece. In the current line-up, Rosado's signature surf guitar sound is supported by the experienced bass touch of Negative Ed, a pounding surf beat from drummer Phearsome Phred Rawles, and vocals, flute, Farfisa organ, and rhythm guitar played by Sandy "Oceana" Brooks.
With another two years of Sleazefest performances, inclusion on two additional European compilation CDs, and over 50 gigs in the past calendar year, 9th Wave returned to the studio for the May 2003 release of Time Tunnel, 9th Wave's fourth full-length all-original CD, published by Beach House Records. This CD takes you on a journey to the days when hot rods ruled the streets and the surf instrumental movement provided the soundtrack. Time Tunnel ventures through several different styles of all-original instrumental surf, hot rod, spy, exotica, sci-fi, and western twang. All tunes were recorded live in the studio with one or two takes, to capture the excitement of a live performance. 9th Wave, the premier hot rod surf band, inflicted the fury of pounding surf on the east coast and beyond in support of this CD, including shows with Dick Dale and Laika & the Cosmonauts from Finland.
May 2006 saw the recording of the 5th CD, Creepsters from the Deep, which was released in December 2007. The eclectic nature of Rosado's music writing continues with sci-fi, spy, creepy, jazzy, and hot rod surf tunes like "Zombies Attack", "Black Widow Spy-der", "TIdal Wave", and "Full Throttle".


Tracklist

Storm Rider
Mission from Spy Island
Surf Denial
Atlantic Surfer
Kam Fong as Chin Ho
See Monkey
Mule Train
Dragon Wagon


*

http://rapidshare.com/files/215570728/9th_Wave_-_Surf_Denial.rar

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Writing The Book Part 2



Los Straitjackets
Encyclopedia Of Sound Vol 2
VBR Courtesy of AlZ



*

1 Piledriver!
2 Boa Constrictor
3 I Want Cake
4 Lookey Here
5 Just a Little Trip
6 Juke Joint Compound
7 Funky Twine
8 Blues Face
9 Susie X
10 Hindenburg
11 Gallstones
12 Apple Orchard
13 Hey Joey
14 Hooligan
15 Sloppy Joe
16 Honolulu Vice
17 Out of the Shadows
18 Creepy, Pt. 1
19 Creepy, Pt. 2
20 Tennessee Cannonball
21 Off Broadway
22 Brazil Nuts
23 Miller Park
24 Color My Hair
25 At the Seashore
26 Drum Solo #1
27 Drum Solo #2




*
http://rapidshare.com/files/215132707/Encyclopedia_Of_Sound_Vol_2.rar

An A To Z On How To Pay The Bills Part 1


Los Straitjackets
Encyclopedia Of Sound Vol 1
2001


Ripped at an astounding 320


*

Review by Mark Deming
Hard to believe, but being America's leading purveyors of hod-rodded vintage-style instrumental rock isn't the most lucrative career one might choose, so the boys in los Straitjackets are always eager to pick up the right kind of side gig, which is where Encyclopedia of Sound comes in. The CD is a collection of 22 short selections in a variety of classic styles -- early instrumental rock, '60s garage rock, blues, country, Tex Mex, and jazz -- which the band wrote and recorded specifically to shop around to television and film producers looking for short bits of incidental music. As a result, most of these pieces sound just a bit generic (that's part of the idea), and 17 out of 22 clock in at under two minutes; los Straitjackets fans looking for a solid chunk of fresh listening or beginners wanting to introduce themselves to the group should certainly look elsewhere. But this set certainly shows off the group's versatility, expert chops, and easy mastery of classic styles, and it makes for pleasant enough background listening. If you dig los Straitjackets, Encyclopedia of Sound is a pleasant but hardly an essential purchase, unless you happen to license music for feature films or television shows, in which case "Switchblade Stroll" or "Onion Dip" would sound pretty cool coming out of the car radio while your characters drive down a rain-slick street late at night.


*


1 Furious
2 Road Rage
3 Candy Rock
4 Kaboom!
5 California Fun
6 Switchblade Stroll
7 Cactus Walk
8 Arizona Sunset
9 Country Squier [Electric]
10 Country Squier [Acoustic]
11 Golden Nugget
12 Heavy Bag
13 Cropdustin'
14 Cantina [Electric]
15 Cantina [Acoustic]
16 Sombrero
17 Onion Dip
18 Pot Liquor
19 Man from S.W.A.M.P.
20 Dipsy Doodle
21 Take the 405
22 Fuzzy Nova


*

New link HERE

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Something New Right Next Door


When your finished digging the fine surf tunes at Trustar Vibrations take a peek at my new blog. Wait For The Ricochet...
http://wait4thericochet.blogspot.com  (my colon is better, yes?)
Bringing a different edge to things.

The Big Sound of TWANG!


Jonny & The Shamen
Operation:TWANG!
1997
*
Of course it's in sneaky 320. Ripped by The Usual Suspects
*
Reverb alert! Mobile, Alabama quintet Jonny and the Shamen lays it on heavy with classic ride-the-waves instrumental guitar music that blends the old-school surf rock of Dick Dale and The Ventures with the spooky conspiracy themes of '60s espionage thrillers and TV serials like The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. From time to time they spike the punch with a bit of experimental weirdness -- freaky effects, sci-fi beats, theremin spookiness -- but for the most part, they play reverent, incredibly energetic rolling instrumental rock that will make you want to jump right into the Batmobile. Sound a little familiar? Yes, Jonny and the Shamen has more than a little in common with screwball surf terrorists Man or Astro-man?, who are also from -- you guessed it -- Alabama. Is there some kind of cult down there that the rest of us should know about?
These five Agents of JATS, as they refer to themselves -- guitarist/Moogist Jonny Stratosphere, bassist Dan-O Bookem, drummer C.H.E.C.K.P.O.I.N.T., second guitarist No. 2, and keyboardist Grave Danger -- have been unraveling the conspiracy since 1996. They released their first full-length Operation: Twang! in '97 on Pensacola-based Loch Ness Records. They've since followed that with their 1999 Turducken release, The Fully Functional Adventures in Espionage Video Game, which was coproduced by Man or Astro-man? drummer Birdstuff and features the songs "Stratosphere Mortuary Theme," "Boris Bomb," "Clip the Wrong Wire...," and "J.A.T.S. Are Go!"
1 Cat On A Hot Foam Board
2 Beat Party
3 Straight 8 Shake
4 S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Girl
5 Jonny!
6 Monsters From The Id
7 Conspiracy-A-Go-Go
8 Camel Dance
9 Loco-Motives
10 Agent 13
11 The Rising Surf
12 Big Daddy
13 Betty Page-Reverb Chick
14 The Whip
15 Smoke!
16 A Shot In The Dark

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

More Dick Dale In The News


OC Register had this article last Saturday about DD.

By PAUL HODGINS The Orange County Register
March 21, 2009 - 12:00AM


Bopping up and down on a cherry red sofa aboard his yacht in Newport Harbor, Dick Dale is as proud as a new daddy. The object of his adulation? This month's GQ magazine.


Dale is featured, alongside Tom Waits, Michelle Phillips, John Doe and Exene Cervenka, in a pictorial called “Paradise City: 50 Years of L.A. Rock.” There he is, on Page 136, in glorious black-and-white, with a swooning caption: “Hendrix worshiped him. … Tarantino opened ‘Pulp Fiction' with his anthem ‘Misirlou.' … All hail Dick Dale – the original guitar hero.”


“They took about 400 pictures, man,” Dale says, throwing his arms wide. “They shot the best photos I've ever seen of me.”
Dale, who refers to himself in the third person often enough that he jokes about it, then adds: “Yup, 50 years of L.A. rock. And it all started with Dick Dale's surf guitar.”
Dale's no shrinking violet when he talks about his career. Why should he be?
His stories, wild as they seem, are true.


THE CANCER WARRIOR
Cars full of thrill-seeking teens really did stack up along Coast Highway, all heading to Newport's Rendezvous Ballroom to hear Dale and his band, the Del-Tones. “It held 4,000, and it was always packed to the walls,” Dale said.
Leo Fender, Orange County's wizard of electrified music, really did design an amplifier and speaker combination that wouldn't melt down when Dale blasted those power chords out of his Stratocaster with extrathick strings.
And Dale really did meet – heck, sometimes even discover – those legendary names of rock 'n' roll. “I found Jimi (Hendrix) when he was playing bass in a bar in Pasadena with Little Richard. There were
about 30 people in the audience. He wasn't Jimi Hendrix then.”
Dale's got a lot of stories, and he's in a mood to tell them. All an interviewer can do is settle back and enjoy the ride. Steering the conversation would be like persuading a tornado to choose a path.
Maybe Dale's yak has something to do with his present circumstances.
Now 71, he recently had surgery for colon cancer, an enemy he's been battling for years. “I'm feeling great,” he says more than once. And other than a few wincing moments when he's jumping around the yacht's amp- and guitar-filled cabin, he looks surprisingly vital for one of rock's most grizzled veterans.
Men half his age would be hard-pressed to keep up with him.


PARTNERS IN LOUD
The Dale legend started in 1954, when his family moved to Orange County from Massachusetts. Like a lot of local kids in the '50s, Dale was drawn to the waves. “I surfed Dana Point, San Clemente and, of course, Huntington Beach. Every morning you could find me at the hot water pipe.”

Dale also was fascinated with music. He once sold jars of Nivea cream door to door to snag a cheap prize offered by the company, a cardboard ukulele.
From the beginning, Dale was after one thing above all: volume.
“I was always trying to find a way to make my guitar sound like Gene Krupa's drums. Drums were my first instrument.”
When the left-handed Dale started playing guitar, “Nobody told me I was holding it wrong.” He never changed or restrung his instrument to make playing right-handed chords in mirror fashion easier. “I just taught myself to play it like that. It was hard at first.”
Dale's love of loudness led to a period of raucous experimentation. It started with his instrument. “The thicker the string, the more powerful the sound. I've always played with really thick strings,” he says. Dale picks up a guitar pick from the coffee table. “See these? I grind them down in performance.
You'll see the flakes flying right off them when I'm going "tikitikitikitikiTIKI!' ” As he shows this, the pick becomes a blur.
Dale's quest for power brought him to guitar and amp maker Leo Fender.
“I blew amps like they were made of tissue paper. Once I blew out the sound system at Royal Albert Hall in London.
“I went to meet Leo with my dad. I said: ‘Hi, I'm Dick Dale. I'm a surfer, I got no money, and I need a guitar. I'm gonna be playing a big place called the Rendez-vous Ballroom. Can you help me out?' ”
“He said, ‘Here, I've just created this guitar,' and he handed me a Stratocaster. He said: ‘We're still working out the bugs. Can you help us out?' ” A beautiful friendship was born. Fender and his colleague, Hawaiian-born guitarist Freddy Tavares, worked with Dale over several years to create the equipment to bring the music in his head to life.
At the Rendezvous, Dale had trouble getting the volume he wanted when the huge room filled with fans. “I kept blowing up amp after amp after amp. Leo said, ‘Why do you have to play so loud?' He made me a 5-foot-high tower of speakers, and I fried those.” Fender and Tavares came to the Rendezvous for one of Dale's big events. “Leo stood in the middle of
4,000 people and listened to my sound for a while. He said to Freddy, ‘Back to the drawing board.' A little while later he called me in the middle of the night and said, ‘I got it!' ” Fender had to invent technology to create an 85-watt amplifier that peaked cleanly at 100 watts. They found another company to build a speaker system that could handle the amp's demands. Finally the king of surf guitar could produce his trademark sound.


SOUND HEART
And what, exactly, is the Dale sound?
Dale smiles and starts playing air guitar. With a song like his famous rendition of “Misirlou,” it's about more than volume, he says. “It's about accuracy, focus, being true to your vision. You have to have a dream, and then everything becomes locked into that.”

Dale has studied martial arts and Eastern philosophy, and he lives his religion. “I've never had alcohol in my body in my life. I've never had a drug in my body in my life. It's been about four weeks now since they put me back together. That surgery was eight hours long. The surgeons came out looking like they were hit by a truck. And I'm back as strong as ever.
“People call me the king of the surf guitar. You know what the doctors call me? The Cancer Warrior.” Dale smiles and stretches his arms along the back of his big red throne. “I like that.”

Make sure to get your copy of GQ.

The King Is Back! Long Live The King!








As many of you know, Dick suffered a re-0ccurance of cancer last year and underwent surgery and nasty chemo treatments. He vowed to be back on the stage again. Well, he's back burning amps and breaking strings. I had the opportunity to see Dick Dale a couple of weeks ago at a Guitar Center Sessions show. The man was on fire. He shared his recent health battles and how he would not have been able to do it if not for the clean-livin' lifestyle that he has practiced for most of his life. As this venue was primarily for musicians/fans he spent some time inspiring the audience in their musical endevors. It's been about 9 years since I had last seen Dick at the Fender Museum Grand Opening. I took my then 2 year old grandaughter Mackenzie and managed to be right at the front of the stage for his whole show. She loved it!


I took these pictures last weekend at the International Surf Museum. They have quite the display of "Dickobilia" for visitors to see while touring the museum.




Long Live The King!

It's Just Around The Corner


Dick Dale & The DelTones

Summer Surf

1964



On his fourth album for Capitol Records, 1964's Summer Surf, Dick Dale seemed to be aiming for a glossier and more elaborate sound, and the production shows the occasional influences of Phil Spector and Brian Wilson, then the reigning titans of West Coast studiocraft. With banks of vocal choruses on several tunes, additional percussion fancying up the arrangements, and no fear of horns and keyboards, Summer Surf was the most polished Dick Dale set to date, and on tunes like the Spanish guitar exercise "Spanish Kiss" and the Hebrew-flavored "The Star (Of David)," Dale's ambitions paid off -- although not exactly rock & roll, they are compelling and absorbing instrumentals that find the guitarist expanding his boundaries. Similarly, "Banzai Washout" marries Dale's trademark guitar attack to a big studio band, and this time the concept works like a charm. However, for every successful experiment on Summer Surf, there are some severe miscalculations, such as the groan-inducing novelty tune "Mama's Gone Surfin'," the curious gospel-influenced "Glory Wave," and Dale's wobbly trumpet-led cover of "Never on Sunday." (Just as significantly, these three songs make little if any room for Dale's guitar work.) And many of the other tracks are simply dull, hardly disastrous but not much to write home about, either. Summer Surf proved to be Dale's last studio album for Capitol, and since then he's preferred to work with independent labels where he's allowed to follow his own muse on his own terms, a lesson that seems especially valuable after listening to this album.



1 Summer Surf
2 Feel So Good
3 Surfin'
4 Spanish Kiss Dale
5 The Star (Of David)
6 Banzai Washout
7 Glory Wave
8 Surfin' Rebel
9 Never on Sunday
10 Mama's Gone Surfin'
11 Tidal Wave
12 Thunder Wave



*


http://rapidshare.com/files/207311304/DDSS.rar

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Uruguay My-Away



The Supersonicos

Neptunia

2007

*

The Supersonicos are the most important surf band from Uruguay and perhaps the most important of South America.(? Mighty bold statement) Been playing since the early'90s and have released material as well as in his country, Argentina, Chile and Brazil. 
In his fifth album released in May called Neptunia, consists of 15 tracks plus 4 bonus tracks. After going through the cosmos, and the tech world ruled by machines, and move the world of the paranormal, perhaps as a potential claim, Neptunia returns to its natural environment, the sea. 

*

01 - Dr. Romero

02 - Ameba 500
03 - Neptunia
04 - Anguila quick
05 - Maquina
06 - A esupuma dos dias
07 - Birdgirl
08 - Nautilus
09 - Deep blue
10 - Electridente
11 - Patricia
12 - Do the hüsker
13 - Tina robot
14 - Laurasia
15 - Leda zeppelin
16 - Submarino Peral
17 - Nepstonia
18 - Piercing En Mi Corazon

The Original Wipe Out!



The Impacts

Wipe Out!

1963

Loveingly ripped @320 by Teisco del Mar

 
The Impacts were led by Merrell Fankhauser, who wrote the original "Wipe Out". Merrell went on to play in many other bands and is still performing and recording today. The Impacts' unique sound featured the use of a pedal steel guitar.

Tracklisting:

 
1. Steel Pier
2. Tandem
3. Sea Horse
4. Beep Beep
5. Lisa
6. Church Key
7. Wipe Out
8. Fort Lauderdale
9. Tears
10. Revellion
11. Blue Surf
12. Impact

*

http://rapidshare.com/files/213091816/The_Impacts_-_Wipe_Out.rar

Monday, March 16, 2009

The Real Deal


Los Coronas
Gen-U-Ine Sounds
1996



Los Coronas are, undoubtedly, the pioneering instro-surf group and one of the bands with more repercussion in Spain nowadays. From their beginnings, in 1991, they have grown from being under the shade of the most purist instrumental surf to reinventing a genre that proves to be more alive than never. Clearly influenced by Duane Eddy, Link Wray, Dick Dale, The Ventures or The Shadows, in the course of time they have achieved to give their sound another turn of the screw, adding to it an unmistakable Hispanic taste. While instrumental surf has turned into something universal, they have decided to give it their own touch, injecting rubs of pasodoble and rumba, giving it a cinematographic atmosphere that makes easier to find echoes of Spaghetti Western and film noir. I n Los Coronas' music the wind section is becoming more and more relevant, above all since Yevgeni Riecmkalov´s participation began.
Los coronas come back to stage with a new record in which they create the soundtrack of an imaginary film, a film where they play with the flashback of their former sounds, where they show their present-day maturity and wisdom, and where they also present sparkles of their future sound. It's the soundtrack of a film where the music is capable of creating landscapes full of frantic paces and full of energy, or capable to transmit sensations of calmness full of melancholy, and they got it using the resources of primitive r'n'r spirit: immediateness, rhythm, and a dry aridity which move them away from beach to the desert. With these new twelve songs they make their own private tribute to the musical universe that during decades has been reflected in the cinema and that hereby has influenced them consciously or unconsciously.
Departing from a sound that feeds directly of the primitive and original instrumental rock of the 50's and 60's, Los Coronas make a revision of the Spaghetti westerns essence, the rides of Curro Jiménez -a fiction legendary Spanish bandit of 19th Century- or the Don Brown's surf documentaries. In this way they revisit and renovate a genre, the instrumental Surf, which they know well, where they have grown, a genre that they have been claiming for since their beginnings in 1991. Once the lesson has been well learnt, they have decided to contribute with their own vision, in which their personal experience has become their main influence. It's a vision where the sands of the Californian beaches join with those of the desert, achieving this way a borderline surf loaded with southern touches and with echoes of the trumpets of “El Degüello” in the siege of The Alamo. In an odd appropriation of the musical essence of Mexico or the South of the USA, Los Coronas assimilate, reinterpret and adapt it as its own.
*
1. Supertubos
2. Estacion Uranus
3. Twin Fin
4. Janas
5. Barefoot Adventure
6. Jungle Strut
7. Zero Break
8. Corona del Mar
9. Gene- U - Ine
10. Choroee

*


Wednesday, March 11, 2009

A Bittersweet Symphony


The Verve
Urban Hymns
1997

Ripped at a haunting 320
*

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Not long after the release of A Northern Soul, the Verve imploded due to friction between vocalist Richard Ashcroft and guitarist Nick McCabe. It looked like the band had ended before reaching its full potential, which is part of the reason why their third album, Urban Hymns — recorded after the pair patched things up in late 1996 — is so remarkable. Much of the record consists of songs Ashcroft had intended for a solo project or a new group, yet Urban Hymns unmistakably sounds like the work of a full band, with its sweeping, grandiose soundscapes and sense of purpose. The Verve have toned down their trancy, psychedelic excursions, yet haven't abandoned them — if anything, they sound more muscular than before, whether it's the trippy "Catching the Butterfly" or the pounding "Come On." These powerful, guitar-drenched rockers provide the context for Ashcroft's affecting, string-laden ballads, which give Urban Hymns its hurt. The majestic "Bitter Sweet Symphony" and the heartbreaking, country-tinged "The Drugs Don't Work" are an astonishing pair, two anthemic ballads that make the personal universal, thereby sounding like instant classics. They just are the tip of the iceberg — "Sonnet" is a lovely, surprisingly understated ballad, "The Rolling People" has a measured, electric power, and many others match their quality. Although it may run a bit too long for some tastes, Urban Hymns is a rich album that revitalizes rock traditions without ever seeming less than contemporary. It is the album the Verve have been striving to make since their formation, and it turns out to be worth all the wait.


*
1 Bittersweet Symphony
2 Sonnet
3 The Rolling People
4 The Drugs Don't Work
5 Catching the Butterfly
6 Neon Wilderness
7 Space and Time
8 Weeping Willow
9 Lucky Man
10 One Day
11 This Time
12 Velvet Morning
13 Come On

*

http://rapidshare.com/files/208233934/The_Verve_-_Urban_Hymns.rar

Everything Goes Good On A Ritz


The MiGs
Monkfish Liver
2004


Monkfish Liver contains 5 "lost tracks" from "Phase II" of the MiGs. The lineup being Derrick Anderson, Kevin Lee, John Lacques, Bernard Yin and Rick Deliz.
This was perhaps the most experimental phase in the band's history. Bernard's guitar work has never been more quirky yet soulful. Kevin's keyboard and Theremin work adds an unreal spice. John drums a jazzyness that's borderline free form. Derek, from the soul of pop, creates bass lines that are exactly what each piece needs. Rick adds guitar compliments to this challenging mix of crazies.
Each song is truly different, give them a listen.
As of 2004 The MiGs continue to perform select shows but as a hard hitting surf-type trio. Bernard fronts this newer crew and has been dabbling in the Theremin as well. Look for Derek with Dave Davies (of the Kinks) and Kevin Lee with Seksu Roba. Bernard can also be found in Kelly Mantle's band, the Zodiac Party band, Blair Tefkin and numerous other LA projects.




1 Girl from Orange County
2 Chasing Salmon
3 I Don't Think So
4 Dog Breath
5 The Snake Lady


*
http://rapidshare.com/files/207172084/The_MiGs_-_Monkfish_Liver.rar

A Xtra Fun Kick But Sacreligous In So Many Ways


Dread Zeppelin
Un-Led-Ed
1990


Ripped at a hip-shakin' 320


Biography by Jason Ankeny
Dread Zeppelin channeled the musical spirits of Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley, and Bob Marley to create tongue-in-cheek novelty rock heartily endorsed by no less an authority than Robert Plant himself. Led by one Tortelvis -- a 300-pound Elvis impersonator born Greg Tortell -- the lineup also included guitarists Jah Paul Jo (Joe Ramsey) and Carl Jah (Carl Haasis), bassist Butt-Boy (Gary Putman), percussionist Ed Zeppelin (Bryant Fernandez), and drummer Fresh Cheese (Paul Masselli); playing their debut live gig on January 8, 1989 (the 54th anniversary of the King's birth), the Pasadena, CA-based group performed reggae-influenced renditions of classic Led Zep anthems capped off by Presley-like vocals, an approach perhaps best exemplified by gene-spliced songs like "Heartbreaker (At the End of Lonely Street)." Growing local buzz soon earned Dread Zeppelin a deal with IRS Records, and in 1990 the group issued their debut LP Un-led-Ed; in addition to surprisingly strong sales, the record's cover of "Your Time Is Gonna Come" also earned high marks from former Led Zep frontman Plant, who admitted he preferred their updated rendition over the original.
Dread Zeppelin's second album, 5,000,000*, followed in 1991, but already the joke was growing stale, and the following summer Tortelvis, Ed Zeppelin, and Fresh Cheese left the band; Butt-Boy rechristened himself Gary B.I.B.B. and assumed vocal duties for the follow-up, 1992's It's Not Unusual, a disco record which effectively alienated much of their core audience as well as executives at IRS, who dropped the group immediately after. Tortelvis and Ed Zeppelin returned for 1993's Hot & Spicy Beanburger, a return to past glories issued on Jah Paul Jo's own Birdcage label; shortly after Dread Zeppelin made a cameo in the 1994 film comedy National Lampoon's Last Resort, Carl Jah and Ed Zeppelin then left the lineup, with the latter's brother Bruce and bassist Derf Nasna-Haj signing on for 1995's No Quarter Pounder. Jah Paul Jo's subsequent departure preceded 1996's The Fun Sessions, the group's lone recording for the Imago imprint; both the live The Song Remains Insane and the rarities collection Ruins soon followed. Deja Voodoo was released in late 2000, marking a return to the Led Zep tributes that constituted the group's bread and butter. The band soon started their own label and website, creating a cottage industry selling music direct to their fans. Live DVDs and CDs plus their first all-original album, Spam Bake, kept hungry Dread Heads satisfied. The music/video hybrid CD Chicken and Ribs from 2005 included the band's version of "Kung Fu Fighting".


*


Review by Ed Rivadavia

Despite singer Tortelvis' reputed propensity for gas, there is no denying that, initially, Dread Zeppelin was a breath of fresh air in a stale music scene which oftentimes took itself way too seriously. Anyone jaded enough to think they had seen it all in rock & roll was forced to think again when faced with the band's improbable reggae renditions of Led Zeppelin classics, performed by an overweight caricature of the King himself, the aforementioned Tortelvis. Together, these disparate elements provided an aural and visual cocktail of Spinal Tap proportions -- but in this case, it was all for real. Of course, none of it could possibly have worked had it not been so cleverly well thought out in advance, and then expertly executed. Make no mistake, behind the sextet's comedic façade lies a highly competent group, featuring solid musicianship, great arranging talent, and, face it -- sheer balls and audacity. Having said that, the sextet's first album, 1990s Un-Led-Ed, is a gag-infested tour de force where almost every dubious musical moment is safeguarded by a healthy dose of humor -- and vice versa. Instantly catchy, and often hilarious renditions of such Zeppelin staples as "Black Dog" and "Heartbreaker" (cleverly spliced with "Hound Dog" and "Heartbreak Hotel" for added flavor) are, for the most part, perfectly valid interpretations from a musical standpoint. (Just listen to guitar player Carl Jah as he peels off scorching leads that would make Jimmy Page proud during "Whole lotta Love" for further proof.) And ultimately, what greater endorsement could one hope for, then the one bestowed by Zep vocal legend Robert Plant, who claimed that he actually preferred Dread Zeppelin's take on "You're Time Is Gonna Come" over the original. In the end, there is a very fine line between "sexy clever" and "sexy stupid," and though they would soon cross that line never to regain their way, at least with Un-Led-Ed, Tortelvis and company were taking care of business.


1 Black Dog
2 Heartbreaker (At the End of Lonely Street)
3 Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)
4 Your Time Is Gonna Come
5 Bring It on Home
6 Whole Lotta Love
7 Black Mountain Side
8 I Can't Quit You Baby
9 Immigrant Song
10 Moby Dick

*


The Original Rocker


Augustus Pablo
Original Rockers
1979
Review by John Bush
Original Rockers is a solid introduction to Augustus Pablo's haunting melodica playing, and includes brief flashes of his dub inspiration as well on "Tubby's Dub Song" and "Rockers Dub." As usual, the lineup is superb with Robbie Shakespeare, Aston and Carlton "Carlie" Barrett, Earl "Chinna" Smith and Bobby Ellis, among others. Though much of the album is instrumental, Dillinger guests on "Brace a Boy."
*
Playlist :
Rockers Dub
Up Warrika Hill
Cassava Piece
Tubbys Dub Song
Jah Dread
Brace A Boy
Thunder Clap
Park Lane Special
New Style
AP Special
Tubby's Dub Song (Dub Version 2)
Brace A Boy (Dub Version 2)
*

Boom Shak A-Tack


Born Jamaicans
Best Of
2002


Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Fusing hip-hop and dancehall reggae, Born Jamericans earned a cult following with their pair of mid-'90s albums. The duo was comprised of Mr. Notch, who favored smooth vocals, and Edley Shine, who delivered rough ragga raps. Born Jamericans' debut album, Kids From Foreign, became a reggae hit upon its 1994 release, and they became a favorite of the reggae circuit, opening for Buju Banton, Shabba Ranks, Zhané, and Shai, among many others. Mad Lion, Shinehead, and Johnny Osbourne all were featured on the group's second album, Yardcore, which was released in the spring of 1995.


*

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Rhino's 2002 collection The Best of the Born Jamericans is an excellent summary of the duo's recordings for Delicious Vinyl, containing five songs apiece from Kids from Foreign and Yardcore, plus two previously unreleased tracks and a dancehall remix of their biggest hit, "Boom Shak A-Tack." Although they never got much bigger than that song, they did mix hip-hop, ragga and reggae quite nimbly, and this is the best place for the curious to check it out.


1 Warning Sign
2 Boom Shak A-Tack
3 Sweet Honey
4 Cease and Seckle
5 Why Do Girls
6 Yardcore
7 State of Shock IV
8 Send My Love/Send One Your Love
9 Superstar
10 Go Girl
11 Venus (Got It Goin' On) [Remix]
12 Wherever We Go
13 Boom Shak A-Tack [Dancehall Remix]


*

I Am The Herbsman Koo Koo Ka Choo


Clancy Eccles & The Dynamites
Herbsman Reggae
1970


Putting up a bit of the ol' riddums for my friend C-500. Respect.

*




Biography


Though not nearly as well known as Duke Reid or Coxsone Dodd, producer and sometime vocalist Clancy Eccles made a lot of rocksteady in the late '60s and early '70s, much of it on his Clandisc label. As a singer, Eccles had started recording back in the late '50s, when he cut some ska for Dodd. After bouncing around the ska and early reggae scene for a while, he became more active in the studio in the late '60s, overseeing tracks by Alton Ellis, Joe Higgs, Beres Hammond, and several less-famed artists. Not as distinctive as the works of Reid or Dodd, Eccles' oeuvre nonetheless included some solid and enjoyable material that contributed to the peak of the rocksteady movement. The record label he started in 1967, Clandisc Records, helped pave the way for greater recording independence for Jamaican musicians. Perhaps his greatest achievement took place outside of the studio: in the early '70s, he organized a traveling stage show to contribute to the successful campaign of Jamaican socialist politician Michael Manley. Clancy Eccles passed away in 2005 at the age of 64, leaving behind a legacy of fine recordings both as a singer and as a producer. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide








Playlist :


Herbsman Reggae
Senor Judas
Black Beret
PhantomSound Of 70
Hey Jude
False Neiah
See Me
Oh Tell Me Why
Promises
Fatty Fatty
Van Cleef

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http://rapidshare.com/files/208208467/Clancy_Eccles_-_Herbsman_Reggae.rar

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Hot & Steamy


Surf Report
LavaRockReverb
1999


*

Formed in 1994, Surf Report reigned the Southern California surf music scene for ten years. During that time they released four full length CD's, toured the west coast and southwest United States and were billed with such greats as Link Wray, Dick Dale, the 5 6 7 8's, Buck-o-Nine, and Los Straightjackets to name a few. Surf Report was featured on radio shows worldwide, M-TV's "The Real World," performed live at pre-game parties for tens of thousands of San Diego Chargers' fans, christened the brand new stadium at opening day at Pet-Co Park for the San Diego Padres, and were pleased to provide local radio stations with the San Diego Charger's fight song. In 2000, Surf Report was voted the Number 1 Rock Band in San Diego in the San Diego Reader's Poll, and was nominated for a San Diego Music Award in 2002.
Led by blues guitarist Ruhar, and aptly supported by double-picking prince of the surf guitar (yes, Dick was the King) Rick, Surf Report made immediate strides with the help of the ever tight and consistent rhythm section made up by Vince Mack on bass and Mr. E on Drums.
In September of 2004, Rick departed to pursue other ventures and Surf Report disolved. However, the songs remain and the feeling is alive!


*


1 Pencil Fight
2 Exotic
3 Catalina
4 A Sallam Aleikum
5 Heptane
6 Crush the Infidel
7 Chain Smoker
8 Knuckle Sandwich
9 Hazel
10 Fishtail
11 Frostbite


*

Let Your Ears Swing To The Cool Side



Art Pepper
Complete Discovery - Savoy Master Takes
2002

Ripped at a groovy 320
*

Biography by Scott Yanow
Despite a remarkably colorful and difficult life, Art Pepper was quite consistent in the recording studios; virtually every recording he made is well worth getting. In the 1950s he was one of the few altoists (along with Lee Konitz and Paul Desmond) that was able to develop his own sound despite the dominant influence of Charlie Parker. During his last years, Pepper seemed to put all of his life's experiences into his music and he played with startling emotional intensity.
After a brief stint with Gus Arnheim, Pepper played with mostly black groups on Central Avenue in Los Angeles. He spent a little time in the Benny Carter and Stan Kenton orchestras before serving time in the military (1944-1946). Some of Pepper's happiest days were during his years with Stan Kenton (1947-1952), although he became a heroin addict in that period. The 1950s found the altoist recording frequently both as a leader and a sideman, resulting in at least two classics (Plays Modern Jazz Classics and Meets the Rhythm Section), but he also spent two periods in jail due to drug offenses during 1953-1956. Pepper was in top form during his Contemporary recordings of 1957-1960, but the first half of his career ended abruptly with long prison sentences that dominated the 1960s. His occasional gigs between jail terms found him adopting a harder tone influenced by John Coltrane that disturbed some of his longtime followers. He recorded with Buddy Rich in 1968 before getting seriously ill and rehabilitating at Synanon (1969-1971). Art Pepper began his serious comeback in 1975 and the unthinkable happened. Under the guidance and inspiration of his wife Laurie, Pepper not only recovered his former form but topped himself with intense solos that were quite unique; he also enjoyed occasionally playing clarinet. His recordings for Contemporary and Galaxy rank with the greatest work of his career. Pepper's autobiography Straight Life (written with his wife) is a brutally honest book that details his sometimes horrifying life. When Art Pepper died at the age of 56, he had attained his goal of becoming the world's great altoist.


*
1 Brown Gold
2 These Foolish Things
3 Surf Ride
4 Holiday Flight
5 Chili Pepper
6 Suzy the Poodle
7 Everything Happens to Me
8 Tickle Toe
9 Nutmeg
10 Deep Purple
11 Cinnamon
12 What's New?
13 Thyme Time
14 Straight Life
15 Art's Oregano
16 The Way You Look Tonight
17 The Way You Look Tonight (Extended Version)


*


Some Prime 90's Pop


The New Radicals
Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
1998



The more things change in music, the more they stay the same. The alternative rockers of the 1990s may have caused so-called corporate rockers like Poison and Bon Jovi to become less visible, but at the same time, the worship of 1970s baby boomer culture was alive and well among post-baby boomers. In 1998, one of the most memorable examples of 1970s-flavored music came from the New Radicals. Although Radicals singer/leader Gregg Alexander was quick to espouse a left-wing point of view, Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too doesn't beat listeners over the head with a sociopolitical agenda. Nor is the CD an exercise in angry 1990s angst rock. Rather, Alexander's band is a congenial and highly melodic throwback to the rock and blue-eyed soul of the early to mid-'70s. Alexander's vocals have a very Mick Jagger-ish quality, but while the Rolling Stones were a rock & roll band that occasionally dabbled in soul and funk, the Radicals favor pop/rock that is consistently mindful of classic Northern soul. Hook-happy offerings like "Jehovah Made This Whole Joint for You," "Flowers," and "Mother We Just Can't Get Enough" give the impression that Alexander holds the Stones and the artists of Motown Records in equally high regard. Without question, Brainwashed was among the more promising releases of late 1998.

*


1 Mother, We Just Can't Get Enough
2 You Get What You Give
3 I Hope I Didn't Just Give Away the Ending
4 I Don't Wanna Die Anymore
5 Jehovah Made This Whole Joint for You
6 Someday We'll Know
7 Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
8 In Need of a Miracle
9 Gotta Stay High
10 Technicolor Lover
11 Flowers
12 Crying Like a Church on Monday

*

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Digitally Dusting Off An Oldie But Goodie


Jim Weller And The Deltas
Surfin' Wild
Original Release Date 1963
Digitally Remastered 2008


Biography by Steve Leggett

Arranger, producer, recording engineer, and multi-instrumentalist (tenor, alto and soprano saxophone, trombone, piano, organ, guitar) Jim Waller spent his childhood in Cleveland, moving to Fresno, CA, in 1961 with his family. While attending Fresno State College that same year he formed the surf group the Deltas. The Deltas, an R&B-steeped band featuring an upbeat organ and saxophone approach, released an LP of instrumentals called Surfin' Wild on Arvee Records in 1963 (Sundazed reissued Surfin' Wild on CD in 1995). A 45 single, "Bells Are Ringing"/"Super Hawk," appeared later in 1963 from Warner Brothers while the Four Seasons-like vocal side "Give My Love a Chance" was issued in 1964 by Cambridge Records. Following the break up of the Deltas in 1967, Waller joined the San Antonio-based jazz-rock combo Los Blues until 1973, and then relocated back to California, where he finished a music degree at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Waller moved once again to San Antonio in 1977 to join the band Road Apple (essentially a reconstitution of Los Blues) and has made the city his home base ever since. He built his own studio, Digital Image, in San Antonio in 1985, where he produces CDs and commercial jingles.
Review
An R&B-inflected surf combo, Jim Waller & the Deltas formed at Fresno State College in 1961 and featured a lineup of Waller on piano and organ, Terry Christofsen on guitar, Ray Carlson on saxophone, Terry Christenson on drums and Eddie Atkinson on bass. This energetic little gem is a CD reissue of the band's sole LP on Arvee Records from 1963. Raucous and fun, these dozen instrumentals sound more like King Curtis then they do Dick Dale, and they underscore how much pure surf instrumentals were influenced by straight, horn-driven R&B. Christofsen does get in his share of reverb-laden guitar riffs, but the Deltas were mostly about the sax and organ mix, and it is a sound that is both refreshing and familiar. Highlights include the title track, "Surfin' Wild," the lovely and intricate "Latin'ia" and the room-rattling stomp of "Body Wompin'."



1 Surfin' Wild
2 Exotic Morgan
3 Trippin' at Trestle's
4 Work Song
5 Latin'ia
6 Church Key
7 Body Wompin'
8 Surfin'
9 Surf Walk
10 Vesuvius
11 Waikiki Wipeout
12 "Bal" Beat


*


Friday, March 06, 2009

Feeling Irregular???


The Atomic Regulators
Hi There!
2006


This release is a new cd by the band. but its an older release. the first thing the atomic regulators released was a cassette tape. a live tape. theres no added fx's. no padded sounds. its a live recording done in ol' cotati,ca. Some of the tunes are on their great cd "sellout"..which is a studio cd/album. but all these tunes are live.I think they sound great. there are the usual failings of live recording. but the playing is great.i really think that kevin g. is a great guitarist. Fumar ignito[terry hagerman] adds a nice bass. meanwhile, "wild bill" toupal keeps the tempos driving.plus, there are a couple of new tunes..one w/ vocals that no one has ever heard.hope you like it.


1 Creeper 1
2 It Came Frome Planet Q
3 Scorpio
4 El Pistolero
5 Dos Colors
6 Mr. Wolf
7 Big Kahuna
8 Naked Torpedo
9 Monkey on a Stick
10 Tarantula
11 Runaway
12 Smurf

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http://rapidshare.com/files/206211664/Atomic_Regulators_-_Hi_There.rar

Paradise For One & All


Alex Keack
Surfers Paradise
1961

This is one I picked up from Mr X over at Xtabay's World back when I was still wet behind the ears. More fine stuff there still. Drop in on his little island of pleasures.

A former member of the Islanders, a Hawaiian version of the Four Freshmen, Keack provides Crown with one of its few legitimate quality recordings with a gentle, sophisticated small combo sound not too far removed from the model of master Martin Denny.



1 Why Me
2 Wait and See
3 Come Away with Me Now
4 Magic Are the Islands
5 Haunted Love
6 Latino
7 Polynesian Hay Ride
8 Sunset over Kona
9 Lovely
10 And Now She's Mine


*

Happy Groove Day!

This will make you smile and want to join in ...

At the train station in Liverpool, England T-Mobile did this great commercial unbeknown to the daily commuters. They practiced for 8 weeks plus one late night at the station.
On January 15th, 2009, with hidden cameras and 400 dancers
at 11:00 a.m. their plan was put into action. And some say we Brits are straight laced!!!

Don't you wish that events like this would erupt spontaneously as in the movies?

Have a great weekend.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

The Kilaueas Caravan

Get Your Motor Running With Dual Barrels


The Carburetors
Loud Enough To Raise The Dead
2006
Norway’s own The Carburetors are just about to release the successor to their stunning 2004 debut Pain Is Temporary – Glory Is Forever. Their attempt is called Loud Enough To Raise The Dead, and as the title reveals, The Carburetors guys are having big faith in what their new product is capable of delivering.
Their aim has not changed at all. Their objectives are still to play fast, dirty, and uncompromising Hard Rock ‘N’ Roll. Fast Forward Rock ‘N’ Roll is their motto, and Fast Forward Rock ‘N’ Roll is their mission. Singer Eddie Guz growls and rolls through one riff-based song after the other, and the rhythm section doesn’t even once reduce the tempo below warrantable speed limits. Their Rockabilly looks are still their visual trade mark: short, black leather jackets, greased hair, tight jeans, and sun glasses, and the titles in the tracklist below should too give a hint about where these guys keep their focus. There’s no beating around the bush, only straight-to-the-point R&R.
Loud Enough To Raise The Dead will, just like their debut, make you think that The Carburetors are the love child of Jerry Lee Lewis and Motörhead, or The Rolling Stones and AC/DC, or Chuck Berry and The Ramones … so there you go. However, what has changed the most since their previous release is that some of the guitar work tends to explore some of Rock’s heavier traditions. On several occasions, the guitar players Stian Krogh and Kai Kidd unfold themselves in a old school Metal landscape. That’s cool; Rockabilly Hard Rock with big, melodic solos reminding you of good old Iron Maiden.
Loud Enough To Raise The Dead holds no track as strong as “She’s Got The Touch” and “Allright, Allright” from their debut. Still, Guz, Kidd, Krogh, Nitro, and O’Men have made sure to make an album that will guarantee that their future live shows will hold enough Rock ‘N’ Roll ammunition to blow whatever audience away. They already keep a huge reputation as a live act, and as far as 2006 goes, it doesn’t sound like that will change yet.
Baptism Of Fire
Lawless Country
Rock ’N’ Roll Forever
Crank It Up
Fast Lane
Whole Town Is Shakin’
Throw Your Horns
Rock ’N’ Roll Is King
Straight To Jail
Waste My Time
Hails The Lords Of Rock