Hi-Tide Recordings - Fall singles reviews
SURFER JOE BAND — Hiroshi No Subarashi Ramen b/w Black Sand Beach
Hi Tide Recordings 2019
Incredible attention to details with regards to keeping the design of this package authentically Japanese, with a thin insert sleeve, thin vinyl and song titles translated into kanji. Recorded sometime after the SJB’s (Lorenzo Valdambrini, Jonpaul Balak, Vincent Minervino) second tour of Japan, and so, infused with their love for Eleki record collecting in every way.
Valdambrini's original "Hiroshi No Subarashi Ramen" is easily mistaken for a mid 60s eleki hit, from the mid-tempo backbeat to Lorenzo’s Mosrite tone, to the major chord finale. Perfect! Yuzo Kayama's "Black Sand Beach" is practically an instrumental surf standard at this point, and the SJB pay serious homage with a faithful cover of this eleki defining classic. Thankfully there’s a rhythm guitar overdubbed, as this song rarely works in a trio format.
THE GREASY GILLS —The Spring Collection EP,
Hi-Tide Recordings 2019
I don’t think I’ve ever paid so much for a 7”er, so my expectations are high. The Greasy Gills are one of the most exciting young bands to be playing surf music today, and if you’ve seen them, you know they have some serious chops. This is a four song EP with two originals and two covers.
Side A starts with "Swamp Meet," and they swing the hell out of it. There’s a lot of rockabilly influence in Jordan Steer’s playing, he’s a lot fun to listen to. "Mr. Rebel" is a pretty straightforward cover of Eddie Bertrand’s classic. I don’t want to sound old a jaded, but I’ve heard this song lots, and hope the Gills dig a bit deeper into the surf catalog in the future. Side B starts off poppin’ with "U.F.S.," a spiky original, that reveals a deft sense of rhythm and syncopation. This is the Gills at their best! "Steel Guitar Rag," with a two-step back beat, gives clues to the roots of Steer’s inclinations and is a good showcase for his talents. The rhythm section is tight and lively throughout, and really swing. This EP was recorded by Boss Martian Evan Foster, and sounds great, in a minimalist way.
THE SWINGIN’ PALMS - 4 song EP
Hi-Tide Recordings 2019
This is neo-exotica, and great to hear fresh originals that will give a nod to vintage Hawaiiana without walllowing in the classics, although I’m sure The Swingin' Palms could easily pull off an awesome cover of "Yellow Bird". I also like that this is a quartet, and shows that the vibe can be perfectly sounded out without an orchestra.
"Cockeyed," is a Hawaiian beach party with a nice interplay of the lap teen and organ. Almost goes into Esquevel territory. "Over The Moon" gently lifts the Music to Watch Girls By’s descending riff, and contrasts it with a jazzy guitar and steel unison play. Side B starts with "Asleep At The Shore," a Sleepwalk’ish stroll, but takes it much further. I love the chordal acoustic guitar solo on this one, truly romantique and dreamy. Very nice! Last song is "Estrada", a march. A march to where? The bedroom I’d guess. There’s definitely two point of view in this song, I’m not sure if they find resolution. These guys are really cool, I’d love to see them do a West Coast tiki-bar tour.
