The Derangers - The Legend Of Daphne Blue And The Westernmental Sound (2014)

The Derangers - The Legend Of Daphne Blue And The Westernmental Sound (2014)

Conjuring the feel of a bygone era in America, when neon lit the evening sky along Route 66 and a cowboy with no name rode across a Drive-In movie screen... The Westernmental Sound! It's the debut CD by longtime Boston instrumental combo The Derangers. Spooky instrumental themes, encompassing spaghetti western, surf, spy, and more. Call it desert surf or Texas surf...

“The Legend of Daphne Blue” is a retrospective of the best Derangers instrumental music spanning more than two decades. 1990’s original spaghetti western-styled theme, “Rio Sangre” is the collection’s oldest track, and the band’s twangified cover of “Wichita Lineman,” recorded in November of 2013, is the newest.

The music ranges from straight early ‘60’s California surf with tracks like “Santa Monica” and “Monkey Island” to the exotic spy jazz and Arabesque motifs of “Ether Cocktail” and “The Impaler.” There’s “’69 Firebird’s” hot rod sound and the lush tropical layering of “Agave Rain.” But the main wave of the Derangers’ sound is their “Westermental” themes. Tracks like “Rio Sangre,” “Tears of the Seneca,” “Twang ‘em High,” and “El Chupacabra” conjure cinematic images of a lone rider emerging over the desert horizon, making his way toward a doomed desert town, accompanied only by danger. Front and center is Drew Townson’s steely, reverb-clad guitar, supported by a cast of some of the best players in the New England music scene.

"To hell with 'spaghetti western' soundtracks. The Derangers have an original take on high-atmosphere twang that's fueled by Texas barbecue and dust. Guitarist Drew Townson's melodies evoke not only the open spaces of the prairies and deserts, but the sound of the surf, balancing retro-cool with a lean modernity that keeps the band's sound fresh and timeless." ~ Ted Drozdowski, Guitar World

Track List:

01. Tears of the Seneca [03:56]

02. Twang 'em High! [02:53]

03. El Chupacabra, Live on WMFO [03:00]

04. Santa Monica [02:30]

05. Rio Sangre [03:43]

06. The Impaler [03:32]

07. Monkey Island [03:04]

08. Ether Cocktail [04:52]

09. Magdalena, NM [02:45]

10. '69 Firebird [03:19]

11. Agave Rain [02:46]

12. Wichita Lineman [03:54]

13. The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly, Live [02:58]

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