The All Nighters - Dance 'til Dawn

Originally created out of a pure love and interest for many different forms of musical expression, the All-Nighters continue to break down the boundaries limiting the sonic freedom of instrumental bands that have come before them. Their sound draws influence from a wide variety of classic genres, all combining to form a very modern and refreshing approach to "instro/surf" music. They harness the energy and personality of surf, punk, country, rockabilly, ska, gypsy, classical and others to form a intermixed collage of sounds and emotions which flows with flawless focus; despite the often drastic changes in style, like the soundtrack to a great movie.

This is a very intriguing disc, with an original blend of surf, prog, punk and Renaissance ideas. Well recorded and mixed, and very engaging. It's not trad by any means, but I really like it. You probably will, too. Check out the archives for their first one - Drink the Night.

1. Escape from the Nuthouse 2. Swingers Club 3. Cruisn' & Rockin' 4. N20 5. Crackerjack 6. Riding with Outlaws 7. Showdown 8. Sex Maniac 9. Starfish Lagoon 10. Glory Boy 11. Surf Detective 12. Drink the Night 13. Oceans of Time

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Satan's Pilgrims -ST

Cool band, GREAT record. These guys are one the best modern surf bands today. They play it the way it's meant to be played and they rock in the process. This, their fifth record, is excellent and out of print - great songs that are memorable and a sound that can only be described as the "Pilgrim-Sound" bringin' it home. Rock on to the sounds of SATAN'S PILGRIMS... They have elements of the 60's surf sound, but they take it to the next level, with great arrangements and even a punk rock attitude to go with it. Nice assortment of instruments used...not just guitar and drums- here is great organ (Hammond and Vox to these ears), electric piano, percussion, trumpet and sax, even 12 string guitars. Great songs include "Mutha Fuzz" (surf meets James Brown's band), "Beach Binge" (great melody) and Brahms "Hungarian Dance No. 5" (yes, classical surf!)..

1. Badge of Honor 2. Theme from the Arturan 3. Fra Diavolo 4. Tears and Gears 5. Step It Up 6. Casbah 7. All Day Party (All Night Party) 8. Mutha Fuzz 9. Frankenstomp 10. Super Stock 11. Black Marquis 12. Chi Chi 13. Jungle Room 14. Hungarian Dance No. 5 15. Beach Binge

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The Romans – You Only Live Once - Repost

I'm so glad this vintage eighties album has been reissued on CD. It may not look like a surf album, but it features some of the nicest tracks of the era. The Romans's sound is enduring and warm. There are 8 bonus tracks added, most of which are instros. In some ways, the Romans were a supergroup of the punk scene, with Mikey Borens (Monitor) - guitar, Pat Delaney (Deadbeats) - sax, Juan Gomez (Human Hands) - guitar, Keith Mitchell (Mazy Star) - drums, and Michael Uhlenkott (Tikis) - bass. This is the only stuff they did.

1 Runway 2 Iron Cross 3 Tuned Out 4 Shorebreak 5 Birdbrain 6 Nazarene 7 Small World 8 (I'm So) Happy 9 Blob! 10 Motu Tapu 11 Big Neck 12 What Gives? 13 You Only Live Once 14 Black 15 It's A Lie 16 Slave 17 Birdbrain (demo version) 18 Beebs and Jeebs 19 Footsteps 20 Moonlight 21 Chasm

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Dave “Baby” Cortez – 3 in 1

If you like simple blues based Organ and Piano instrumentals (mostly) then look no further than this CD. All the recordings are the originals from Cortez's later period of 1965-66. THESE ARE NOT the hits, they are under license to another label – so these are his lesser known albums – mostly covers - which show a more loungey side. Although now largely forgotten when music history is discussed Cortez is steeped in the roots of blues and boogie-woogie and this album is full tracks reflecting that. A lot of the tracks also have saxophones/brass backing as well to add a bit of variation to the Piano/Organ lead. This really fun and for the older generation would make great party music. You cannot help but tap your foot or dance.

1. Shake 2. Watermelon Man 3. Boy From New York City 4. Can't Buy Me Love 5. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) 6. Twlight Time 7. Stagger Lee 8. Yeh Yeh 9. Searchin' 10. Come See About Me 11. Where Did Our Love Go 12. Paper Tiger 13. Tweetie Pie 14. Things Ain't What They Used to Be 15. Count Down, Pt. 1 16. Count Down, Pt. 2 17. Belly Rub, Pt. 1 18. Belly Rub, Pt. 2 19. Do Any Dance 20. Peg Leg 21. Sticks and Stones 22. My Sweet Baby (Parts 1 & 2) 23. In Orbit 24. Summertime 25. You Talk Too Much 26. Hula Hoop (Shoop Shoop) 27. Come Back (To Lonely Me)

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Killer Filler - Filller Up

Thinking of summer gets me in th mood for a road trip. This weeks post is just right for throwin' in the car and hitting the road. Of course, you have to start off with a full tank.

With a nod to the Ventures and Booker T & the MGs, Killer Filler Up winds through some great tunes. Featuring Cousin Crispy, formerly of Southern Culture On The Skids, this is a great surf/instrumental rock recording – even though there are only a few tunes that I’d classify as “surf”. The other instrumentals are just as good, influenced by exotica and go-go themes and melodies (even a little ska here and there). There are a few covers, mostly obscure, and even their take on “Fever” uses the Sam Butera arrangement. I’d highly recommend picking this up, especially if you’re a fan of loungy surf ala Four Piece Suit or The Tiki Tones. Good versions of the covers and excellent originals. A+

1. Intro 2. Big Bad Bike 3. Mallsville 4. Tintarella di Luna 5. Morgan's Alley 6. Gogoductress 7. Gasboys 8. Mucho! (Mucho Tempo) 9. Kiddie Pool10. Suburbanite 11. Jellybeanin' 12. Go This Way 13. Wild Trip 14. Bellzouki 15. A Man Possessed 16. Fever 17. The Bailiff

NEW LINK - thanks RYP!

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Ramblin' Ambassadors - Avanti

Guitarist Brent J. Cooper of Huevos Rancheros fame supposedly formed the Ramblin' Ambassadors on a dare. A booking agent needed a band, so he asked Cooper to come up with something. Cooper recruited bassist Scott Nickless, and quickly began writing songs. They had a few people fill in the drummer position, including David Alcock from Chixdiggit, who would eventually end up producing and recording Avanti. The Ramblin' Ambassadors settled down with drummer Tyler Pickering, played gigs, and recorded nine songs. The result was the 2003 Avanti, released on Vancouver's Mint Records.

It's easy to draw comparisons to Link Wray here because some of Link's tendency for long sustained chords and minimalist darkness is in evidence, as is an overall loud and intense sound. But more than that, there are splendid spaghetti western elements, solid melodies, and just plain magnetic rock instros. This is not a surf CD, but instro fans who dig Link Wray, Robert Johnson and Punchdrunks, the Bottleups, or the Berzerkers in their more rock'n'roll mode will surely like this. I do! – Phil Dirt

Sixty Seconds To What?, Lungbucket, Theme From 'The Ramblin' Bastards', Hawgtied, Dead Man's Flats, Hangin' Tree, Hup Two Three Four, Twenty Original Fembots, The Hairless Cat

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The Ramblin' Ambassadors - Vista Cruiser Country Squire

Vista Cruiser lands firmly between "Psychobilly Freakout" and Calexico's "The Black Light". With a zesty raw Tex-Mex feeling, they balance tremolo and twang with groove and grind. They serve up their love for vintage sounds with this very tasty treat. More surfy sounding than their previous one - Avanti - this feels equally at home in the barroom, at the BBQ, or on the beach - and -- in the car.
Here are 8 hioctane originals and and covers of The Bel-Aires, the Surftones, and a rewrite of the Sadies - Rat Creek. Good stuff all over.

1. Camino Real 2. Cecilia Ann 3. Frank Slide Song 4. Speed Wobble 5. Lonesome Rambler 6. Cupcakes di Milo 7. March of Dimes 8. Kamikaze 9. Besa Me Bottom Turn 10. Cabbage Diablo 11. Rat Creek 12. Cecilia Ann

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Ashra - Correlations

Ashra was the second phase of the spacy Krautrock outfit Ash Ra Tempel, where founder (and, sometimes, sole member) Manuel Göttsching refocused the project's direction and began to concentrate more heavily on electronics. Especially with the revolving-door membership, Göttsching had always been the focal point of Ash Ra Tempel, making their mind-bending psychedelic jams into showcases for his cosmic guitar work. At the outset of the Ashra era, Göttsching was literally a one-man band, backing his guitar explorations with synths and sequencers that made his music sound cleaner and more pleasantly meditative. Ash Ra Tempel's status as a going concern was in doubt by the end of 1973, having fallen into a Göttsching-plus-guest-star pattern; Göttsching released a solo album under his own name in 1974, Inventions for Electric Guitar, where his interest in electronic music began to crystallize. Less a regrouping than a renaming, Ashra's inaugural release was 1976's New Age of Earth, one of Göttsching's finest efforts under any name. The 1977 follow-up, Blackouts, was also entirely solo. For 1979's Correlations, Ashra became a full-fledged band for the first time, with guitarist Lutz Ulbrich and drummer Harald Grosskopf officially joining the lineup. However, after 1980's Belle Alliance, the group went on hiatus.

Tracks "Ice Train" and "Club Cannibal" are quite rock-oriented with his continued reliance on an assortment of synthesizers. Correlations is a much more driving propulsive work tied closer to proto-synth pop than the space music of past Ashra classics and has outstanding guitar work. Always listenable. One of BEST covers of all time – don’tcha think?

1. Ice Train 2. Club Cannibal 3. Oasis 4. Bamboo Sands 5. Morgana Da Capo 6. Pas De Trois 7. Phantasus

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Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited - Plays Lost TV Themes

Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited, a Swiss duo consisting of Ernest Maeschi and Karen Diblitz, create enticing instrumentals with an ultra-modern twist that draw from a variety of genres, including spy movie theme music, surf, lounge, and exotica. They use "old-fashioned" electronics to produce powerful, exciting, mysterious, melodic and extremely catchy songs that create vivid movies inside your mind as you listen. When this album first came out, they claimed that the music here was actually written by their fathers, for Swiss television programs in the 1960s. That doesn't happen to be true, but it's an amusing "cover story", nonetheless. The music does resemble old television show music, although "hipper" than most TV themes. This album is a lot of fun, and appeal to all who like mod swingin’ "lounge" type instrumentals. Rarely does an album "grab" me the way this one did the first time I played it, right from start to finish.

SSSU gives you a soundtrack to the lifestyle you never get to have unless you are best known by three digits starting with 00. For the rest of us this is the perfect escape with music that runs the entire spectrum from scary to sleazy lounge. The result is a guilty pleasure of the instrumental variety. All their stuff is GREAT!!! No exceptions. Here is your chance to get it all in one place. Check last weeks post on the previous page for their last effort - Jo Siffert: Live Fast Die Young and you will have the whole set.


Yes, I know these have been posted by just about every instro site out in blog space, because they are so spectacular. Most instro fans should already have these, for those of you who are just discovering the world of surf/lounge/spy/sci-fi/sleaze -- this is a perfect place to start. Enjoy.

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SSSU - The Fluid Soundbox

Be careful here. This is recorded at a REALLY high level so be sure to normalize if you put it in a mix.

1. Triple Threat 2. Something For Johnny 3. The Wobbler 4. Formulator 5. Theme From Stella Interstellar 6. Girl From Acapulco 7. Robot A Go Go 8. Der Ermittler 9. Dragon City 10. Project QX5 11. The Freddie Pt.1 12. Mummy Walk 13. Love Godess 14. Budapest Incident

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SSSU - Space Sound Effect

1. The Spacesuound Effect 2. Senor Lopez 3. Samea Patrol 4. Lino Ventura 5. Section 5 6. Haunteo 7. Blues For K 8. The Twisting Spy 9. Little Ghoul 10. Riviera Drive 11. Double Agent 12. Wheelspin 13. Cool Move 14. Crimeville 15. Waltz Underneath

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SSSU - Jet Sound Inc.

1. The Lizard 2. 4th Gear Left Hand Corner 3. The Pool Scene 4. Snakecharmer 5. C For Cobra 6. Vampire Walk 7. Harlem Nightdrive 8. Kowalski 9. Emerald Coast 10. The Drunken Camel 11. 36 In The Shade 12. Nightclub 13. Nassau Shake Down 14. The Birdman

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R. Crumb Sampler

We're having a happy music theme today, since it's been raining around here all week –and I couldn’t resist this gem to start things off right. It is from the R Crumb Handbook and is a greatest hits comp – sort of. Contains selections recorded by the various groups he was with from 1972 – 2003. This includes R. Crumb and his Keep On Truck’in Orchestra, The Cheap Suit Serenaders, Fiddlin’ Ian McCamy Quartette, Les Primitifs Du Futur, and the Crumb Family.

These amazing bands of well humored and talented musicians bring an all too forgotten music back to life. These guys tackle old time music with such enthusiasm, musical talent, and just plain "hepness", that this collection is entertaining without any sense of feeling like a museum piece. Their talent and pure love of music are unmistakable in the instrumentation and vocal work of these songs. Their playing is flawless (you probably haven't heard the steel guitar, banjo mandolin, or musical saw played with such virtuosity as here), the tunes are mostly fun and spirited, and the music styles are varied. This set resurrects instruments and music long past, but is never out of style. Mr. Robert Crumb has certainly left his mark on this world in very unique ways and in the hands of the Cheap Suits, and the other groups he’s been associated with -- old-time music is alive and well. A+

River Blues, Wisconsin Wiggles, Get A Load of This, Cheap Suit Special, my Girl's Pussy, Suit's Crybaby Blues, Fine Artiste, Hula Medley, Wild Horse, 3 in 1 Two Step, Creole Belles, Georgia Camp Meeting, Cruelle Tendresse, Valse D'Amour, Mazurkas, Schottische, In The Pines, St. James Infirmary, Little Buttercup, Baby Face

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King Kandy – Acid Beach Party

King Kandy, a North-London trio, goes back to the 60’s with a neat soundtrack recording that combines surf, exotica, go-go, spy and garage rock themes. I’m not sure there is an actual movie tied to this soundtrack, but it doesn’t matter – listening to these songs you can sort of create a movie in your mind. There’s not much in the way of traditional surf music here – instead, it’s more of a lounge/exotica sound with surf themes, melodies and rhythms running through it. In many ways they remind me of Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited or the Lou Hoffner Trio. It wasn’t quite what I expected, being more in the psych pop area rather than pure surf -- and after listening to it a few times it really grew on me and is a repeat fave.

Introduction, Acid Beach Party, Surf My Way Now, Persephone’s Theme, Stokey’s Lament, Night Crawlin’, Jetty Incident, Late red, Persephone, Sunset, Kahina Bay, Radio Nine, Cave Up, The Ghost Ship, Byke Out, Mondo A GoGo, Theme from Acid Beach Party, Original Film Trailer

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Flabby - Modern Tunes For Everybody

Modern Tunes For Everybody consists of various lounge/jazz/soul interpretations from the voices of Pellechhia Rosary, Fabrizio Fiore and Andrea De Saturday. Leave it to the Italians for perking up a party. Super happy funky light modern lounge – could be serious radio play – if there were such a thing for lounge. Cheek – A –Boom is politely racy, Diggy Doggy Doo will stick in your head and drive you and everyone else around you nuts, and Mambo Italiano ’98 is a peppy version of the classic. Goofy fun for all.

Intro 2. Cheek-A-Boom 3. Diggy Doggy Doo 4. Everybody Loves Me 5. Mambo Italiano '98 6. Round & Round 7. Miss You All The Time Parole Parole 8. Blue Song 9. Jazz 4 Two 10. Come Back To Me 11. Wake Up 12. Flabby's Groove 13. Everybody Loves Me Re-Mix 14. Diggy Doggy Doo Re-Mix

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