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Post by jrmugz on May 28, 2015 19:37:31 GMT
I will, but not today unfortunately. Surely on Friday. I believe you, and quit calling me Shirley. ba-doom-kshhh!!! Jim PS BTW, meant to tell you not to fear the baby in the pool, since Huggies makes these; we've used them a lot. Huggies Swim Diapers for Babies
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Post by unomusette on May 28, 2015 19:50:36 GMT
I'll be reviewing this soon, Jim, I like a bit of sunny surf music
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Post by jrmugz on May 29, 2015 4:27:50 GMT
I'll be reviewing this soon, Jim, I like a bit of sunny surf music OK, looking forward to your review! Jim
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Post by Chippa on May 29, 2015 18:59:32 GMT
I'll listen sometime tomorrow. Hectic week here.
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Post by jrmugz on May 29, 2015 19:52:46 GMT
I'll listen sometime tomorrow. Hectic week here. Cool biz! Yeah crazy week here, too. I'm a guy somewhere between help desk support and a developer / IT guy. Kind of a middleman for all of that, how about you? Jim
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Post by Helmut83 on May 30, 2015 6:41:07 GMT
- Wave perfect: classic surf rock song, with that particular percussion with a lot of bass drum. Maybe lacks a bit of explosion in the chorus, but good way to start the album, I liked it.
- California Blue: nothing to do with Roy O’s song. Much more upbeat, with those vocal counterpoints between lead voice and backings so typical of the Beach Boys. Great melody, very inspired and convincing. The guitar solo is very raw and full of energy, I loved it. Fantastic song, the best of the album.
- A good sailor knows: kind of a slow ska song, but with some rock elements (those electric guitars playing powerchords). The vocals sound half rock, half joking. The bassline is really good. Enjoyable.
- Endless summer: decent typical surf rock ballad, nothing extraordinary but goes well to add more variety after 3 fast songs. It reminds me a bit of the Beach Boys’ “In my room”.
- Surfer girl replies: I don’t know exactly how to catalogue this one, it’s quite an original rhythm. The stingy but masterful bass playing and the great percussion work give the song their peculiar mysterious atmosphere. Nice solo, full of reverb. Strange, sensual, really interesting song, I loved it.
- Into the deep: a bit too soft and amorphous for me. I don’t like how the singer whispers. It lacks strength IMO, although the melody has one or two interesting twists.
- Thrill seeker: back to Surfaris’ style rock. Sinuous melody, with some Arabic influences on it. The riff is a bit too similar to the Russian traditional song “Katyusha”, kind of a rip-off. All in all, it’s quite good, has strength and good instrumentation although a more inspired chorus would have made it better.
- The sun comes down again: those sliding notes in the bass are cool. The musical box notes could have been avoided, they didn’t help the atmosphere. Again, some strong Beach Boys’ influences on it, both in the melody and in the vocals. Average song.
- Pay for surf: a bit overloaded IMO: lead vocals, backing vocals, organ and guitars stepping over each other; too much stuff in not enough room. Plus the melody is nothing too good either. Tries to be something but doesn’t succeed.
- Gold Coast: quite a pop song, this one; tribute to the emblematic Australian region. Musically irrelevant IMO, made nothing for me.
- Sister Mariana Trench: good song, a bit slower than the usual surf-rock standard. Nice drums work. The soft vocals go well with the atmosphere of the song. The hook at the end of the chorus is really effective.
- Surfer’s Paradise: another song named after an Australian beach. The melody sounds quite forced, it doesn’t flow spontaneously. Too much shouting for my taste. Among the worst we’ve heard so far.
- Oyster: I can hear some Beatles’ influence on this one. Goes well in the album, it’s the kind of ballad that fits it, but I couldn’t catch it’s idea, that place where the song wants to take me. This could be the kind of songs that grows on you after several listens, but as for the first one, I simply couldn’t get it.
- Last day of summer: what is this song doing in this album? Too many electronic music elements combined with some hard rock sounds, this song doesn’t seem to belong here. It made me remember those depressing childhood times when the summer ending meant going back to school. I didn’t like it.
- Caught Inside: good instrumental, it mixes up parts of classical surf rock with some others of a more brass-oriented ska.
- The Net: not particularly inspired reggae ballad with some more pure reggae middle eights on it. It starts like building an interesting thing but never reaches a good climax. Quite irrelevant too.
- Wave perfect (instrumental): good take, with a really neat guitar work. The song is good and showing a different way in which it could have been used was worthy.
Jim, I recall being hard on a few of your choices. I’ll keep on being honest: this time I think you made a good choice. It was good listening to this album.
However, I think an important distinction has to be made. The first half of the album is really good. It's fluent, full of inspired melodies, with some fantastic songs like “Surfer girl replies”, “California blue”, “Wave perfect” and “Thrill seeker” which made me really enjoy the listen. The second half suffers a noticeable decrease in quality. There aren’t many plainly bad songs, but several of those which do nothing in me, which provoke no feelings, so except for a couple of songs the second half wasn’t as good. But in the whole, the first half was so good it made up for the other being not so good.
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Post by Chippa on May 30, 2015 8:06:52 GMT
1. Wave Perfect - Cool guitars. Not sure about the guy's vocals, but everything underneath the voice is really good.
2. California Blue - Very Beach Boys inspired, obviously. Good old school rock feel, with some sweet harmonies.
3. A Good Sailor Knows - Sorta like Sublime gone Christian. hah. Not bad. A little ska goes a long way with me.
4. Endless Summer - Woozy sounding. Not really sure about this one. It sort of sounds like the tape they recorded it on became warped.
5. Surfer Girl Replies - I remember Plumb from back in the day. Love the girl's voice and the minimal arrangement. Interesting stuff.
6. Into the Deep - Boring. It just sort of meanders along with no real purpose.
7. Thrill Seeker - Parts of it reminds me of The Kinks. Good.
8. The Sun Comes Out Again - Middle of the road milksop. Kinda hated this one, to be honest.
9. Pay For Surf - Another fun one. Not exactly earth shattering, but a nice, sunny toe tapper.
10. Gold Coast - This girl can sing. Sounds like a typical late 90's alternative song.
11. Sister Mariana Trench -There's a cool overall feel to this song. Interesting lyrical content,and the song itself keeps your attention.
12. Surfer's Paradise -Sounds like the theme to a wacky 90's sitcom. That's about all I have to say about that one.
13. Oyster -Brian Wilson probably wouldn't mind this one. A bit plodding, but not terrible. Interesting production.
14. Last Day of Summer -Skillet are probably the best known band on this compilation. Not too fond of this one. Generic late 90's alt-rock, at it's worst.
15. Caught Inside -Almost a straight ripoff of One Step Beyond by Madness. Not bad.
16. The Net - Good melody, for the most part. Gets a bit boring, especially after listening to fifteen previous songs with basically the same sound.
17. Wave Perfect (Instrumental) -I prefer this to the vocal version.
Overall, I'd give this a 5.5/ 10. A bit repetitive. But mostly catchy.
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Post by unomusette on May 30, 2015 20:43:46 GMT
Wave perfect: Lovely deep, booming sound, vocals reminiscent of REM, interesting mix and a very good opener. Going to add this to my Spotify playlist if I can find it on there. California Blue: Thinner sound by comparison and very Beach Boys. The originals did it better, but the happy vibe is infectious. A Good Sailor Knows: Yet another sound with brass making it sound very ska-alike. The vocals are quite unexpected with a backing track like this, it grew on me a lot as it was playing and I ended up liking it a lot. Endless summer: Smooch time, again brings the Beach Boys to mind. Went on a bit too long for me without changing much, but pleasant enough as background music. Surfer Girl Replies: Nice vocals on this and it's very atmospheric. It stands out amongst the songs so far because it's so quirky. Into The Deep: Didn't do a lot for me, the vocals are a bit lightweight and there's not much oomph to it. Thrill Seeker: Back to the full sound of Wave Perfect, loads of layers and who can resist bongos a-gogo? One of the goodies, going on the Spotify playlist too. The Sun Comes Down Again: Nothing special here for me, although the vocals are accomplished and I did like the upfront bass and twinkly triangle sound. Pay For Surf: Generic surf song, vocals a bit grating and nasal-sounding for my ears. Like the guitar sound though. Gold Coast: Great intro, another atmospheric song. Reminds me a bit of Lana Del Rey only more cheerful. The blunt drum sound reminds me of how Jeff would produce it, was he involved secretly? A bit too long for me. Sister Mariana Trench: Nice echoey guitars and ghostly backing vocals. Something a bit different, it might grow on me with more listens. Surfer’s Paradise: Wooo! Off we go - if this doesn't make you want to get up and do an embarrassing version of the twist you just aren't alive. Does go on a bit though, you'd need a lie down afterwards. Oyster: Ahh, nice relaxing wave sounds, it kicks off like a Divine Comedy kind of song. Brings to mind similar slowies by the Beach Boys, it's a goodie if you like this kind of tune. Last Day of Summer: Ooh, this is a bit different. I like the whole heavy electronic sound but sadly not the vocal. Interesting choice to include on this compilation - deep down you can tell it's a surfer song but why not give it a different edge? Good on 'em. Caught Inside: Dick Dale Ska o-rama! Who can resist this? Not me. Couldn't listen to a whole album of it though. The Net: Starts off well but again the vocal isn't my kind of thing - it's kind of Tom Petty Lite. Wave perfect (instrumental): Back to one of my faves, I preferred it with the vocal to be honest but it's still a top tune. This album would be perfect to play as the backdrop to an outdoor party or barbecue, the summer vibe is right there. Late news, I was unable to find the songs I wanted on Spotify which is a shame I enjoyed listening to this more than I was expecting, I'd award it 6 and a half out of 10. Thanks for sharing, Jim!
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Post by jrmugz on May 30, 2015 23:48:50 GMT
- Wave perfect: classic surf rock song, with that particular percussion with a lot of bass drum. Maybe lacks a bit of explosion in the chorus, but good way to start the album, I liked it. - California Blue: nothing to do with Roy O’s song. Much more upbeat, with those vocal counterpoints between lead voice and backings so typical of the Beach Boys. Great melody, very inspired and convincing. The guitar solo is very raw and full of energy, I loved it. Fantastic song, the best of the album. - A good sailor knows: kind of a slow ska song, but with some rock elements (those electric guitars playing powerchords). The vocals sound half rock, half joking. The bassline is really good. Enjoyable. - Endless summer: decent typical surf rock ballad, nothing extraordinary but goes well to add more variety after 3 fast songs. It reminds me a bit of the Beach Boys’ “In my room”. - Surfer girl replies: I don’t know exactly how to catalogue this one, it’s quite an original rhythm. The stingy but masterful bass playing and the great percussion work give the song their peculiar mysterious atmosphere. Nice solo, full of reverb. Strange, sensual, really interesting song, I loved it. - Into the deep: a bit too soft and amorphous for me. I don’t like how the singer whispers. It lacks strength IMO, although the melody has one or two interesting twists. - Thrill seeker: back to Surfaris’ style rock. Sinuous melody, with some Arabic influences on it. The riff is a bit too similar to the Russian traditional song “Katyusha”, kind of a rip-off. All in all, it’s quite good, has strength and good instrumentation although a more inspired chorus would have made it better. - The sun comes down again: those sliding notes in the bass are cool. The musical box notes could have been avoided, they didn’t help the atmosphere. Again, some strong Beach Boys’ influences on it, both in the melody and in the vocals. Average song. - Pay for surf: a bit overloaded IMO: lead vocals, backing vocals, organ and guitars stepping over each other; too much stuff in not enough room. Plus the melody is nothing too good either. Tries to be something but doesn’t succeed. - Gold Coast: quite a pop song, this one; tribute to the emblematic Australian region. Musically irrelevant IMO, made nothing for me. - Sister Mariana Trench: good song, a bit slower than the usual surf-rock standard. Nice drums work. The soft vocals go well with the atmosphere of the song. The hook at the end of the chorus is really effective. - Surfer’s Paradise: another song named after an Australian beach. The melody sounds quite forced, it doesn’t flow spontaneously. Too much shouting for my taste. Among the worst we’ve heard so far. - Oyster: I can hear some Beatles’ influence on this one. Goes well in the album, it’s the kind of ballad that fits it, but I couldn’t catch it’s idea, that place where the song wants to take me. This could be the kind of songs that grows on you after several listens, but as for the first one, I simply couldn’t get it. - Last day of summer: what is this song doing in this album? Too many electronic music elements combined with some hard rock sounds, this song doesn’t seem to belong here. It made me remember those depressing childhood times when the summer ending meant going back to school. I didn’t like it. - Caught Inside: good instrumental, it mixes up parts of classical surf rock with some others of a more brass-oriented ska. - The Net: not particularly inspired reggae ballad with some more pure reggae middle eights on it. It starts like building an interesting thing but never reaches a good climax. Quite irrelevant too. - Wave perfect (instrumental): good take, with a really neat guitar work. The song is good and showing a different way in which it could have been used was worthy. Jim, I recall being hard on a few of your choices. I’ll keep on being honest: this time I think you made a good choice. It was good listening to this album. However, I think an important distinction has to be made. The first half of the album is really good. It's fluent, full of inspired melodies, with some fantastic songs like “Surfer girl replies”, “California blue”, “Wave perfect” and “Thrill seeker” which made me really enjoy the listen. The second half suffers a noticeable decrease in quality. There aren’t many plainly bad songs, but several of those which do nothing in me, which provoke no feelings, so except for a couple of songs the second half wasn’t as good. But in the whole, the first half was so good it made up for the other being not so good. Hi Helmut, loved the review. Funny how much we agree on a lot of this stuff, that "California Blue" is great, and that "Last Day of Summer" is kind of a depressing song and that "The Net" doesn't quite make the catch. And yeah, the overall feeling that at least it's a fairly fun album. Maybe one song we might kind of disagree but not much really is I find "Surfer's Paradise" to be fairly fun and good, not quite as good as "California Blue", but still pretty fun. I think it was just meant to be a loud obnoxious fun rocker. Also, funny you mentioned Australia for "Gold Coast" because that's where the singer of that song, Rebecca St. James, is from. I wonder if they knew "Surfer's Paradise" was a place in Australia or not to me it seems to be about what a beach in Heaven would be like, like when he says the stuffs all free at the 7-11. Thanks again for the great review, really enjoyed it! Will check out your tune when I get a chance, and yes I'm sure it will be on the upcoming CD. Jim
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Post by jrmugz on May 30, 2015 23:51:40 GMT
1. Wave Perfect - Cool guitars. Not sure about the guy's vocals, but everything underneath the voice is really good. 2. California Blue - Very Beach Boys inspired, obviously. Good old school rock feel, with some sweet harmonies. 3. A Good Sailor Knows - Sorta like Sublime gone Christian. hah. Not bad. A little ska goes a long way with me. 4. Endless Summer - Woozy sounding. Not really sure about this one. It sort of sounds like the tape they recorded it on became warped. 5. Surfer Girl Replies - I remember Plumb from back in the day. Love the girl's voice and the minimal arrangement. Interesting stuff. 6. Into the Deep - Boring. It just sort of meanders along with no real purpose. 7. Thrill Seeker - Parts of it reminds me of The Kinks. Good. 8. The Sun Comes Out Again - Middle of the road milksop. Kinda hated this one, to be honest. 9. Pay For Surf - Another fun one. Not exactly earth shattering, but a nice, sunny toe tapper. 10. Gold Coast - This girl can sing. Sounds like a typical late 90's alternative song. 11. Sister Mariana Trench -There's a cool overall feel to this song. Interesting lyrical content,and the song itself keeps your attention. 12. Surfer's Paradise -Sounds like the theme to a wacky 90's sitcom. That's about all I have to say about that one. 13. Oyster -Brian Wilson probably wouldn't mind this one. A bit plodding, but not terrible. Interesting production. 14. Last Day of Summer -Skillet are probably the best known band on this compilation. Not too fond of this one. Generic late 90's alt-rock, at it's worst. 15. Caught Inside -Almost a straight ripoff of One Step Beyond by Madness. Not bad. 16. The Net - Good melody, for the most part. Gets a bit boring, especially after listening to fifteen previous songs with basically the same sound. 17. Wave Perfect (Instrumental) -I prefer this to the vocal version. Overall, I'd give this a 5.5/ 10. A bit repetitive. But mostly catchy. Loved the review, Chippa, this made LOL for some reason. "-Almost a straight ripoff of One Step Beyond by Madness. Not bad." Jim
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Post by jrmugz on May 30, 2015 23:58:16 GMT
Wave perfect: Lovely deep, booming sound, vocals reminiscent of REM, interesting mix and a very good opener. Going to add this to my Spotify playlist if I can find it on there. California Blue: Thinner sound by comparison and very Beach Boys. The originals did it better, but the happy vibe is infectious. A Good Sailor Knows: Yet another sound with brass making it sound very ska-alike. The vocals are quite unexpected with a backing track like this, it grew on me a lot as it was playing and I ended up liking it a lot. Endless summer: Smooch time, again brings the Beach Boys to mind. Went on a bit too long for me without changing much, but pleasant enough as background music. Surfer Girl Replies: Nice vocals on this and it's very atmospheric. It stands out amongst the songs so far because it's so quirky. Into The Deep: Didn't do a lot for me, the vocals are a bit lightweight and there's not much oomph to it. Thrill Seeker: Back to the full sound of Wave Perfect, loads of layers and who can resist bongos a-gogo? One of the goodies, going on the Spotify playlist too. The Sun Comes Down Again: Nothing special here for me, although the vocals are accomplished and I did like the upfront bass and twinkly triangle sound. Pay For Surf: Generic surf song, vocals a bit grating and nasal-sounding for my ears. Like the guitar sound though. Gold Coast: Great intro, another atmospheric song. Reminds me a bit of Lana Del Rey only more cheerful. The blunt drum sound reminds me of how Jeff would produce it, was he involved secretly? A bit too long for me. Sister Mariana Trench: Nice echoey guitars and ghostly backing vocals. Something a bit different, it might grow on me with more listens. Surfer’s Paradise: Wooo! Off we go - if this doesn't make you want to get up and do an embarrassing version of the twist you just aren't alive. Does go on a bit though, you'd need a lie down afterwards. Oyster: Ahh, nice relaxing wave sounds, it kicks off like a Divine Comedy kind of song. Brings to mind similar slowies by the Beach Boys, it's a goodie if you like this kind of tune. Last Day of Summer: Ooh, this is a bit different. I like the whole heavy electronic sound but sadly not the vocal. Interesting choice to include on this compilation - deep down you can tell it's a surfer song but why not give it a different edge? Good on 'em. Caught Inside: Dick Dale Ska o-rama! Who can resist this? Not me. Couldn't listen to a whole album of it though. The Net: Starts off well but again the vocal isn't my kind of thing - it's kind of Tom Petty Lite. Wave perfect (instrumental): Back to one of my faves, I preferred it with the vocal to be honest but it's still a top tune. This album would be perfect to play as the backdrop to an outdoor party or barbecue, the summer vibe is right there. Late news, I was unable to find the songs I wanted on Spotify which is a shame I enjoyed listening to this more than I was expecting, I'd award it 6 and a half out of 10. Thanks for sharing, Jim! Loved reading your thoughts there unomusette, very enjoyable. Funny how all of us weren't too thrilled with "Last Day of Summer" and "The Net". Seems like everyone at least enjoyed most of it, and glad we were able to kick off the summer, at least for where me and Chippa live in the northeast US, with a fairly fun CD. Where do you live, uno? Jim
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Post by unomusette on May 31, 2015 22:36:42 GMT
I'm in Wales, Jim, (the bestest) part of the UK. It's just about to get summer-y around here, it usually lasts a week or so if we're lucky
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Post by queenofthehours on Jun 17, 2015 16:25:29 GMT
1. Wave Perfect – Smalltown Poets with Paul Johnson – Some proper surf guitar here. I love the deep bass and the fact that it is a rarity for surf music to have lyrics. Great guitar solo – clever and tasteful. 2. California Blue – Brother's Keeper with Phil Keaggy – Good opening guitar. Reminds me of something Jeff could have worked on. Very Beach Boys.
3. A Good Sailor Knows – The Insyderz - Ska surf! A good mix.
4. Endless Summer (Part 2) – Chuck Girard with Paul Johnson – Lovely intro. Reminds me a little of the Beach Boys crossed with something Kevin Ayers might have written.
5. Surfer Girl Replies – Plumb – One of my favourites. I like the tune, I like how it’s a bit different to the rest of the album yet just as listenable. Tasteful guitar.
6. Into the Deep – Terry Scott Taylor – Another very like the Beach Boys!
7. Thrill Seeker – Plankeye - Another Beach Boys-y style pop song, love the drums.
8. The Sun Comes Down Again – Randy Stonehill with Havalina Rail Co. – A lovely song. One of the best on the LP. Very catchy.
9. Pay For Surf – Daniel Amos – A bit punky and catchy, love the drums. The bass is good on this track.
10. Gold Coast – Rebecca St. James – A change from the more upbeat songs.
11. Sister Mariana Trench – Silage – Another dark-sounding song. Love the dark surf guitar.
12. Surfer's Paradise – All Star United with Phil Keaggy – Classic sounding surf track. Good drums.
13. Oyster – Rick Altizer – This one starts a little Beatle-y but also sounds very Beach Boys-y too . Very 60s psychedelic.
14. Last Day of Summer – Skillet – Not sure about this one – I liked other better.
15. Caught Inside – The O.C. Supertones – A proper surf opening! And a bit of ska thrown in!
16. The Net – Lost Dogs with Rich Young Ruler – Lovely guitar, I like it a lot – like something Jeff would write for Roy Orbison. Sounds a bit like Tom Petty could record this track.
17. "Wave Perfect (Instrumental)" – Paul Johnson - Great instrumental, excellent guitar. A classic surf instrumental.
What I like about this album is the variety - not all the songs sound like Dick Dale, not all the tracks sound like the Beach Boys. I'd never have mixed ska with surf but it's done so well here!
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Post by jrmugz on Jun 18, 2015 14:53:05 GMT
1. Wave Perfect – Smalltown Poets with Paul Johnson – Some proper surf guitar here. I love the deep bass and the fact that it is a rarity for surf music to have lyrics. Great guitar solo – clever and tasteful. 2. California Blue – Brother's Keeper with Phil Keaggy – Good opening guitar. Reminds me of something Jeff could have worked on. Very Beach Boys.
3. A Good Sailor Knows – The Insyderz - Ska surf! A good mix.
4. Endless Summer (Part 2) – Chuck Girard with Paul Johnson – Lovely intro. Reminds me a little of the Beach Boys crossed with something Kevin Ayers might have written.
5. Surfer Girl Replies – Plumb – One of my favourites. I like the tune, I like how it’s a bit different to the rest of the album yet just as listenable. Tasteful guitar.
6. Into the Deep – Terry Scott Taylor – Another very like the Beach Boys!
7. Thrill Seeker – Plankeye - Another Beach Boys-y style pop song, love the drums.
8. The Sun Comes Down Again – Randy Stonehill with Havalina Rail Co. – A lovely song. One of the best on the LP. Very catchy.
9. Pay For Surf – Daniel Amos – A bit punky and catchy, love the drums. The bass is good on this track.
10. Gold Coast – Rebecca St. James – A change from the more upbeat songs.
11. Sister Mariana Trench – Silage – Another dark-sounding song. Love the dark surf guitar.
12. Surfer's Paradise – All Star United with Phil Keaggy – Classic sounding surf track. Good drums.
13. Oyster – Rick Altizer – This one starts a little Beatle-y but also sounds very Beach Boys-y too . Very 60s psychedelic.
14. Last Day of Summer – Skillet – Not sure about this one – I liked other better.
15. Caught Inside – The O.C. Supertones – A proper surf opening! And a bit of ska thrown in!
16. The Net – Lost Dogs with Rich Young Ruler – Lovely guitar, I like it a lot – like something Jeff would write for Roy Orbison. Sounds a bit like Tom Petty could record this track.
17. "Wave Perfect (Instrumental)" – Paul Johnson - Great instrumental, excellent guitar. A classic surf instrumental.
What I like about this album is the variety - not all the songs sound like Dick Dale, not all the tracks sound like the Beach Boys. I'd never have mixed ska with surf but it's done so well here!
Enjoyed the review, qoth. Glad you liked it! Jim
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