Susan & the Surftones have been regularly releasing material since the mid-90s and according to Wikipedia this is Susan's 18th LP. Very nearly an album a year, and I have to admit I just haven't been able to keep up.
We've got 7 songs on this one with the title track listenable in its entirety on Reverbnation
Not using google translate on this one: I think the name means secret beekeepers. This LP is loud, fun, and playful. It's got 3 vocal tracks, sure, but it's also got about 3 theremin tracks and one kazoo track (perhaps meant to simulate bees?). Give it a spin on bandcamp!
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The Out of Limits descend pretty clearly from the Man... or Astro-man? lineage of surf with zonked out effects, vintage sci-fi sound clips and, most importantly, mind-enhancing scientific headgear. They also have a healthy chunk of that raw energy. Even for a demo, this is loud, frantic, big, and fun stuff. It's pay-what-you-want, so watch the video and give it a download.
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The Surf Mist make their debut with this 4 song EP. Their sound has trad beginnings, but with small moments of surprsingly tricky jazzy/progressive sounds. Fun and sunny release throughout.Read more
USF are often trying to think outside the box. Last year's Penguin Vs. Robot was an interesting release strategy (4 song vinyl EP with 4 extra songs included as a download). This idea isn't necessarily new, or even their own entirely, but one that I haven't seen others do. In homage to the Play Guitar WIth the Ventures albums, they've made an EP that has two songs: Livorno Twist (a tribute to Surfer Joe festival!) and Calafuria Nights. Then it has versions without the guitar, and includes...Read more
If you listen to Storm Surge of Reverb regularly, you might have picked up how much I love the Peruvian take on surf. Bands like Los Belking's, Los Holy's and Los Jaguar's had a truly unique mix of surf rock, psychedelic music and cumbia that come together into something I have heard since from anywhere else in the world.
So naturally, any modern Peruvian instro groups immediately have my attention. While Los Protones are not trying to replicate that sound, there's one thing that they...Read more
The Messer Chups don't quit! The Russian trio have been moving at a steady pace of one album every two years (or better). This one's got plenty of the semi-trad off-kilter instrumentals they've been at for a while, but with a small helping of rockabilly and a little more saxophone than we've been accustomed to from them!
Still weird. And the album art plays well to my Louisiana tastes.
This is up for download on...Read more
This is a live set by Kingargoolas on the Brazillian radio show Rádio Cadillacs. It definitely doesn't have the studio polish you can get from their great 2013 self-titled LP but you've got a lot more songs than you'll find there! That includes a number of covers such as Eddie & The Showmen's "Squad Car" fit to their signature off-kilter syncopation. ...Read more
Alabama is a hotspot for instro music. Louisiana is... well, it has some. Mississippi, to my knowledge, has Buddy & the Squids. This is the second release by the lone Mississippi group, and it's more ambitious than their last, with a progressive Mermen-ish sound to it. Unfortunately shortly after the release of this record the band has geographically split up, with their drummer Daniel Guaqueta heading up to California (where he tells me he's been hanging with The Mermen's guitarist...Read more
I have played a TON of Los Tiki Phantoms on my radio show. They don't necessarily bring anything new to the table, but damn if it isn't ROCK SOLID. "Y El Misterio Del Talisman" looks like it's going to be a mainstay as well, with more upbeat sun-soaked skate-punk surf rock just dripping with fun the whole way through. Check out the video, you'll get it.Read more
Are The Phantom Operators starting to settle on a Western sound? We've had an album called Metal Mariachi Music and now a total of 4 consecutive songs going for a lonely, desolate, spaghetti Western angle. I think it works! These two are on bandcamp for free/pay-as-you-want, and they've said they have an LP on the way.Read more
The Metallica reference on the album art isn't just a gag; this is a cover record and Baleia Mutante's tends to go a little outside the normal surf favorites. On this one we've got instro covers of Nirvana, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, The Dead Kennedys, and the Live and Let Die Theme. Though you can buy the album on CDBaby, they've also got a number of full-length tracks on...Read more
A while ago Satan's Pilgrims held a kickstarter to fund a trip to Europe and their compilation of singles, live cuts, and unreleased tracks titled "Frankenstomp". That album has found its way into a number of hands since the kickstarter, but for those of us that didn't go that route, we can now buy it too! I've heard great...Read more
Every Trabants release has stuck out to me so far, and this is no exception. Or rather, this is also exceptional. You know what I mean. I'm not sure if I can pinpoint exactly what it is, they just seem to be one of those bands where everything lands in the right place. The drums aren't necessarily showy, but keep things moving in the right way, and really know how to add some punch when they need to. They've always got a good helping of variety and fresh ideas on every album, and the...Read more
Early this morning my car was parked in North Carolina, where I drank many interesting sodas and hiked some beautiful mountains for a weekend. After a long day driving back here, I found that North Carolinans the Monterreys had made their new album available to those of us that didn't get to catch them at the Instro Summit. One of these years.
This is the first LP from the Monterreys, following an eponymous EP, and I've seen a few great words about it already. Thick 'n heavy surf...Read more
Gee Whiz! The Mighty Swells have been dripping songs onto Soundcloud and Reverbnation for years, but finally went ahead and made a long-player. They've got a well polished very trad sound where the fun finds its way through. This LP is predominantly covers, but originals like "Lone Rhino" and "Mr Infiltrator" really hold their own amidst the time-tested classics. Apparently they've got another LP of originals on the way!Read more
Burt Rocket's Savage Iceland came out in 2009... has it really been that long!? Burt's stuff is very 60's rooted and reverb drenched. I would use the word "mysterious" in context of his previous LP, but if the track "Boss Board" is any indication, this one might be more rocket-fueled!Read more
Puta Madre Brothers are a pretty oddball group. A three man one-man band (each member plays guitar and drums simultaneously), their sound is pretty unique. There's a semi tex-mex sound, but with an off-kilter beat, and all sorts of what-not thrown into the blender. It's not entirely instrumental, but it's instrumental enough. Here, have the description from...Read more
This is the third LP from Wisconsin's The Revomatics (second studio LP). I've only heard "Live at Lucky Joe's Tiki Room" but it was a blast the whole way through. From the previews, this seems like a slight departure: darker, more mysterious, more thunderous. Now I've got no issue with bands trying to go straight for a sound from the early 60's and leaving it at that, but it's also cool to hear a band push themselves and work out a sound of their own.
You can preview some of the...Read more
Great lineup for a split EP, each band from a place where surf just won't quit. Los Galerna take the first half of the split at a fast pace. Their sound is pretty standout mix of distinct percussion, quick-pickin' guitar and honkin' sax. It's got great punch and really comes together! I'm a little more familiar with Mexico's The Cavernarios, and they definitely hold up their end. They start with a blistering fuzzy number, then move to a pretty one, and end with a sunny twister.
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