Bradipos IV -- Instromania!

Following their two EPs of a year or so back The Bradipos IV hit the Street with a full album's worth on CD. They are an Italian guitar four-piece with Ghigo Bradipo on bass and Enriquez Bradipo on drums, but Franz and Max Bradipo mix and match lead and rhythm duites while Franz also provides some Farfisa action. After the brief Jaws-inspired Intro things get off to a flying start with Mysterion. Sharp chords and rolling drums open the way for a driving reverb lead on a number that brilliantly captures the essence of '60s surf. The inclusion of cascading reverb runs enhance the image even more, this track is dynamite! Also up there in screaming reverb heaven is Carmela, a Euro-styled melody given the '60s surf treatment. Barracuda is another fine surf guitar piece that almost matches it for intensity while Prisoner In Orbit uses a flowing organ support to generate a fast-paced rocker. Positano is a busy mid-tempo ballad of considerable charm and the closer, Kissin' Bonobo Roll, rocks out most effectively too. So, half of Instro-Mania!! is top notch stuff and the rest ain't bad either, it's just not quite so inspired composition wise. It looks like The Bradipos IV are set to join Omom labelmates I Cosmonauti in the first division of modem young bands playing real surf music. I'd certainly recommend you check this out if you've a taste for '60s surf instrumentals. (ALAN TAYLOR - PIPELINE Instrumental Review)

1 Intro 2 Mysterion 3 Tijuana's Stomp 4 Forbidden Island 5 Surfin' Sloth
6 Work Song 7 Dirty - Phonic 8 Barracuda 9 Brainless Girl 10 Stompin' Tune
11 Prisoner in Orbit 12 Positano 13 Carmela 14 Kissin' Bonobo Roll

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