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The surf/instrumental rock revival has been chugging along now for close to 25 years now – which is remarkable on a couple of levels:
1. That’s almost five times as long as the original surf/instrumental rock craze lasted in the 1960s.
2. The musical parameters of the genre are, let’s admit, pretty limited.
The first point should come with the caveat that the original surf-rock craze was far more mainstream and dependent on radio airplay. The revival era has been more underground, but the indie scene has evolved to the point that it’s possible to sustain a specific sub-genre for as long as there’s enough of an audience to justify it.
As for the second point, well, that’s why the surf/instrumental rock scene is populated with bands that sound great, and yet so similar that really, if you buy a certain number of albums (say six or seven) you’ve already got most of the musical bases covered, which I suspect is why many surf bands tend to differentiate themselves via their stage shows rather than their songs.
Still, some bands do manage to stand out musically for one reason or another. Opinions and mileage may vary, of course, but one band I’ve liked for awhile now is Los Tiki Phantoms. They’re from Barcelona, and visually they tend to go for a South Pacific voodoo look with skull masks and waistcoats, while musically they’re more Link Wray than Surfaris. It’s not a whole lot of variation from the overall genre theme, but they do have a knack for good tunes.
They have a new album out marking their 10th anniversary as a band. It’s called Los Tiki Phantoms y El Misterio del Talismán. And their kick-off single should give you an idea of where they're coming from.
Meanwhile, as it happens, another surf/instrumental band – this one from Norway – also has a new album out. They’re called Los Plantronics, and they’re going more for a 60s Mexican action-film look, with somberos and lucha masks (though not to the extreme as, say, Los Straitjackets). Musically they’re also more twang than surf, but with a bonus mariachi horn section a more diverse approach that’s influenced as much by Ennio Morricone as Dick Dale. Also, they don't stick strictly to instrumentals – they also sing when required (and when they do, it suggests The Cramps are also an influence).
Their new album is called Surfing Times, and one of the music video singles features footage of an obscure 60s Norwegian film.
The horns in this one are more Mancini than mariachi, but it’s still pretty cool.
I like both albums, but in terms of consistency, I think Los Tiki Phantoms have an edge. Then again, I do appreciate that Los Plantronics is trying to bring something extra, and when it works, it does work well.
Surf’s up,
This is dF
1. That’s almost five times as long as the original surf/instrumental rock craze lasted in the 1960s.
2. The musical parameters of the genre are, let’s admit, pretty limited.
The first point should come with the caveat that the original surf-rock craze was far more mainstream and dependent on radio airplay. The revival era has been more underground, but the indie scene has evolved to the point that it’s possible to sustain a specific sub-genre for as long as there’s enough of an audience to justify it.
As for the second point, well, that’s why the surf/instrumental rock scene is populated with bands that sound great, and yet so similar that really, if you buy a certain number of albums (say six or seven) you’ve already got most of the musical bases covered, which I suspect is why many surf bands tend to differentiate themselves via their stage shows rather than their songs.
Still, some bands do manage to stand out musically for one reason or another. Opinions and mileage may vary, of course, but one band I’ve liked for awhile now is Los Tiki Phantoms. They’re from Barcelona, and visually they tend to go for a South Pacific voodoo look with skull masks and waistcoats, while musically they’re more Link Wray than Surfaris. It’s not a whole lot of variation from the overall genre theme, but they do have a knack for good tunes.
They have a new album out marking their 10th anniversary as a band. It’s called Los Tiki Phantoms y El Misterio del Talismán. And their kick-off single should give you an idea of where they're coming from.
Meanwhile, as it happens, another surf/instrumental band – this one from Norway – also has a new album out. They’re called Los Plantronics, and they’re going more for a 60s Mexican action-film look, with somberos and lucha masks (though not to the extreme as, say, Los Straitjackets). Musically they’re also more twang than surf, but with a bonus mariachi horn section a more diverse approach that’s influenced as much by Ennio Morricone as Dick Dale. Also, they don't stick strictly to instrumentals – they also sing when required (and when they do, it suggests The Cramps are also an influence).
Their new album is called Surfing Times, and one of the music video singles features footage of an obscure 60s Norwegian film.
The horns in this one are more Mancini than mariachi, but it’s still pretty cool.
I like both albums, but in terms of consistency, I think Los Tiki Phantoms have an edge. Then again, I do appreciate that Los Plantronics is trying to bring something extra, and when it works, it does work well.
Surf’s up,
This is dF
