Par Avion clearly love the surf sound, but don't let it get in the way when they have other ideas. "Unchained Melody" has a great Duane Eddy meets modern-surf twang to it and sets the tone well for the rest of the album. But then the song "Par Avion" has a less motivated, more post-punk melancholy to it. Then the next song features a cello, the next one has a great orchestral spaghetti western sound to it, but then there's a pretty straightforward cover of Misirlou.
Basically they're strolling all over what instro has to offer, and freely throwing in bits of other genres where they seem necessary with very natural results. They don't do it as boldly as The Barbwires, or as quirkily (if that's a word) as Laika and the Cosmonauts. I was often thinking Los Coronas. Anyway, it's working out well, and I look forward to more from Par Avion.
