Truly enjoying this fantastic new 7" by Frankie and the Pool Boys, recently released by Hi-Tide Recordings. Both sides hold new tracks composed by my dear friend of 25 years, Ferenc Dobronyi, who has IMO developed one of the most distinctive melodic approaches to surf music of the past 30 years. I've been a huge fan of F&tPB since their debut s/t album in 2008 and through their two wonderful follow-ups, and this single continues that incredible streak.
Side A is "The Stargazers" which takes the Ho-Dads' '64 surf classic "Space Race" as the launch pad for a grandiose, heroic, even Shadow-esque (think Wonderful Land and Atlantis) melody that effectively captures the yearning of reaching ever further out to the stars. (The track is dedicated to the band's Seattle friends and fans, which strikes me as especially apropos given that Tacoma, just slightly south of Seattle, was the home of the Ventures, who wrote the legendary track "Journey to the Stars!")
The B-side is "Breathing Your Air", a gorgeous, romantic, even sensual, mid-tempo track with several mood changes, that nearly-miraculously for an instrumental does sound like a celebration of love (and I'm guessing it's Ferenc's dedication to his amazing wife Karen, who also plays the keys in the band)!
Both songs were recorded and mixed by Boss Martian Evan Foster at his Seattle studio, and they sound warm and crisp - and perfect.
A beautiful single, Frankie & the gang! Well done!
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