As many of you are aware, Davie Allan has not exactly been hibernating: he's been pumping out new material on a steady basis since the 90s. However, they're usually self-released and on CD. So thanks to Joel Grind he's not only seing a vinyl release, but it's on the legendary metal label Relapse. While tribute albums don't usually feature the artist that tribute is being paid to, it does feel like that's what's happening here and it's all very fitting.

We've got a new 7" out from the Thunderchiefs: trad surf maestros from Austin, Texas. I haven't heard this one yet, but their split with The Surfites "Surf Nut" was well worth it. You can order it from Space Case Records. As far as I can tell, this one is wax only, nuthin' for your hard drives.

Les Tigres du Futur have a sound unto themselves, yet familiar enough for the impact to be immediate. As much as this is a guitar-centric site, they mostly serve as the crunchy, grinding infantry force. Leading the charge is the whirlwind keyboard, which deftly straddles both psych/prog mystery and adventure and a hip-shaking mod beat. If that doesn't sound very surf, it's because it's not; I don't hear a shred of Dick Dale, Ventures or even Shadows in this -- MAYBE Davie Allan or Link Wray but only because I'm looking for it. It's instrumental rock & roll though, no arguing it.

The Coffin Daggers' self-titled LP was a mainstay on Storm Surge of Reverb back in the WESU days. It struck a really great balance between loud, thundering power and traditional surf sensibilities. As I've suggested about The Madeira's first record, it would be very difficult for them to ever dethrone that effort due to my impenetrable personal bias.

Mike Barbwire has been busy with rockabilly outfit The Dragtones for a bit, and while there have been some good n crunchy instrumental bits for us to enjoy there, it's his work with The Barbwires/Blue Ocean Orchestra that really make me lose control. The Barbwires' Searider is a desert island disc for me, and the subsequent 7"s have been just as frenzied, lush, and memorable. So here's another one!

The Aloha Sluts have a brand new 7" out on Tombstone Records Holland. It's got 4 songs on it and features some great-as-usual artwork from Shawn Dickinson. The only thing I've heard from it is from the preview below, but the rest of their material to date has been punchy and fun -- surfy enough for trad fans, but pretty loud too.

This debut 7" from the German Quartet Braindead Dogs makes me think: in instrumental music you can attach your music to any kind of imagery. So why not more food rock? This food rock 7" sounds a lot like trad surf with a bright and bouncy sound that I could imagine being pretty fun in a live setting.

I believe this is finding its way to an actual 7" record later, but for now you can grab it on bandcamp.

This one has actually been floating around as a vinyl and CD release for a few months now, but it wasn't clear to me where your average internet-surfin' joe could get it. That answer is now free on bandcamp.

This one has been available for streaming for a while, but like so many others their vinyl 10" got stuck in an enormous backlog. But the wait is over, and you can now spin these songs on your turntable. Balu & die Surfgrammeln have a pretty trad, upbeat surf sound interspersed with a lot of vintage audio clips. I love the bounce in "Der Zerfall Von Backerbsen" and the percussion in their version of Comanche.

And of course, gotta love that great Shawn Dickinson artwork.

You can order it from Green Cookie or through bandcamp.

13th Magic Skull's last record "Sungazing in Rapa Nui" was a huge surprise hit last year. I gave it an honorable mention for a Gremmy and definitely gave it a lot of thought for the big prize. They've just got so much punch that I'm always surprised when I give it another listen and hear a pretty pure surf sound.