Return Of The Instro-Hipsters, Volume 2

Return Of The Instro-Hipsters, Volume 2
Groovy Instrumentals From The UK 1965-1973

Nick Saloman of the Bevis Frond once again invites us to join him in the obscure pleasures of little-known pop, R&B, and jazz instrumental sides of the '60s and '70s with this collection. A number of the selections featured on Return of the Instro-Hipsters are so obscure that even Saloman isn't sure just who is responsible for them (though he offers some educated guesses on the artists behind such names as Sharks, Oliver Bone, and the Masked Phantom), but there are a good share of solid grooves and kicky melodies to be found here from a number of gifted little-knowns. If you went to the movies in the '70s, "Soul Thing" by Tony Newman will sound familiar, while flautist Harold McNair solos over a Dave Brubeck-influenced piano groove on "The Hipster," Jerry Allen demonstrates new uses for game calls on "Fuzzy Duck," Thunder Road's synthesized version of "Peter Gunn" beats Art of Noise's variation on the theme by more than 15 years, "The Brooke Bond Beat" by Cliff Adams may be the most swingin' tea commercial ever, and the Outer Limits serve up some tough, moody rock, appropriately titled "Black Boots." While there's a bit of "Space Age Bachelor Pad" ambience to this set, it's more a matter of evoking a period than obsessing over a particular sound or style; the disc doesn't wallow in camp for its own sake, with solid instrumental chops and strong songwriting the order of the day. Another solid offering from what's becoming one of the most consistently interesting reissue labels operating today.

Review by Mark Deming, Allmusic.com

 Tracklist:

01. D Cordell's Tea Time Ensemble - A Quick One For Sanity (03:08)
02. The 4 Instants - Discotheque (02:42)
03. The Roger Coulam Quartet - Simba (02:05)
04. Harold McNair - The Hipster (04:41)
05. Music Through Six - Floppy Ears (02:38)
06. Sounds Sensational - Night Cry (02:19)
07. The Masked Phantom - Fried Scampi (02:33)
08. The Johnny Harris Orchestra - Lulu's Theme (02:28)
09. Tony Newman - Soul Thing (03:14)
10. The Tony Evans Band - Beach Bird (02:34)
11. Kenny Clare - Hum Drum (01:53)
12. Sharks - Funkology (02:22)
13. The Outer Limits - Black Boots (03:21)
14. Cliff Adams - The Brooke Bond Beat (02:22)
15. Oliver Bone - Jugger Tea (02:56)
16. Thunder Road - Peter Gunn (02:14)
17. Jerry Allen - Fuzz Duck (02:51)
18. Paraffin Jack Flash - Blue & Groovy (04:15)
19. The Helmut Zaccharias Orchestra - Ton Up (02:37)
20. Ning - More Ning (02:44)

hipster2

Roaring Blue: Return Of The Instro-Hipsters Vol. 3

Roaring Blue: Return Of The Instro-Hipsters Vol. 3 

20 Groovy Instrumentals From The '60s & '70s

The seemingly bottomless record collection of Nick Saloman from the Bevis Frond has spawned the third in an ongoing series of albums collecting obscure instrumental tracks from the '60s and '70s, and while many of these songs support the popular notion that the hipper and more interesting rock artists of the day were fond of vocal numbers, there are some fun and exciting tunes to be found on this set. Roaring Blue draws its title from the lead-off track, a swinging dance tune by the Sound of Jimmy Nicol, featuring the drummer who briefly replaced an ailing Ringo Starr during a tour in 1964 (this may explain why Nicol's drums are so far up in the mix), while members of the long-running U.K. pop band Blue Mink appear on the track "Beat Party" under the pseudonym the Underground, and John McLaughlin adds guitar licks to "Trans-Love Airways" by Big Jim Sullivan. That's about it for star power on this volume, but the lesser known acts are in equally solid form here, with the Des Champ Orchestra delivering a slightly rocked-up arrangement of the theme from It Takes a Thief, Casey and the Pressure Group bringing some supper club funk to a cover of the Shocking Blue's "Venus," Okko Bekker's sitar and a whacked-out synth solo adding to the fun on "Santana," jazzman Shake Keane generating a fine Northern soul dance groove with "Make with Shake," and the Jim Doherty Trio making with some potent organ-based groove jazz on "Ladies Wear"." Many of the other cuts on board are uncomfortably generic sounding, and too many of these songs fit into the same faux-R&B template, making the set a bit tiring by the time it comes to a close. But the good numbers manage to outnumber the bad (just barely), and if you have a soft spot for the kitschy side of U.K. pop, Roaring Blue is just what the doctor ordered.

Review by Mark Deming, Allmusic.com

Tracklist:

01. The Sound of Jimmy Nicol - Roaring Blue (02:14)
02. The Des Champ Orchestra - It Takes a Thief (02:22)
03. Clubman - Round Up (02:46)
04. The Duke of Burlington - 30-60-90 (02:12)
05. Casey & The Pressure Group - Venus (03:01)
06. Okko Bekker - Santana (04:05)
07. The Keith Mansfield Orchestra - Boogaloo (03:44)
08. The Underground - Beat Party (02:44)
09. The 4 Instants - All About My Girl (03:40)
10. Rajah - Deadeye Dick (02:54)
11. Ram Inn Junction - Junction Blues (02:36)
12. Shake Keane - Make with Shake (02:41)
13. Monty Babson - My Friend Jack (03:03)
14. Johnny Howard Band - El Pussy Cat (02:57)
15. Electric Bird - Stoned Out (02:17)
16. The Jim Doherty Trio - Ladies Wear (02:57)
17. The Cyril Stapleton Orchestra - Theme from Department S (02:57)
18. Big Jim Sullivan - Trans-Love Airways (02:09)
19. The Stormsville Shakers - J.C. Greaseburger (04:02)
20. The New Dance Orchestra - Theme Number One (02:54)

hipsville3

The Mutants - Grave Groove

The Mutants - Grave Groove

Mixture of 60's garage rock, surf, porn funk and manic psychedelia, the instrumental madness of The Mutants is a lost soundtrack for Russ Meyer's, Tarantino's and Aki Kaurismäki's films. Impossible to categorize, they call it "afro-garage-mambo".
The Mutants were founded in 1998 by Weijjo a.k.a Abnormal, who wanted to form an instrumental band after getting tired of difficult singers. Members were picked partly from his previous punk band "Isebel's Pain" and from locations you don´t want to know about. The sound of The Mutants has been wonderfully weird from the first beginnings, only to get seriously sicker since. After the first chaotic gigs with the usual rock instrumentation + organ, they needed to sound bigger. A Saxophone and percussion were added. The originally punk/surf/garage -based stuff is now smashed through Parliament/Funkadelic filter. The beats have been funkier since. You will love it with leather and rubber.

 Tracklist:
01. Wham
02. Outerspace Odyssey
03. El Matador del Diablo
04. Queen of the Meadow Hill
05. Kalkutta
06. Nacht im Cafe Ohne
07. CMC (Carlos Muchas Cervezas)
08. Dark Galaxy

groovyman

A change of pace:
Over at Twilight Zone blog folks have been having a fun time posting "song swarms" or massive comps of versions of the same song.

For example, I posted almost 200 versions of Ghost Riders in the Sky over there. 
Check out the comments sections at the Zone for all kinds of awesome song swarms.

Here's a little one to whet your appetite. A few friends and I worked on this over the years. 

Eexperiment in Terror 3 in 1 – Banzai Pipeline, A Shot in the Dark, and Experiment in Terror
All covers of songs by Henry Mancini
Various bit rates due to various source material

Mostly Modern Surf versions
Banzai Pipeline –

Henry Mancini
The Astronauts
The Boardwalkers
The Panthom Five
The Raybeats
The Blue Hawaiians
The Moonrays

Contributors: Eek and Bossexec

A Shot in the Dark –

Treble Spankers
Big Ray and the Futuras
Four Piece Suit
Henry Mancini
John Zorn
Whiskey Buscuit
Creed Taylor and his Orchestra
Chris Mancini and Leonard Maven
Girl Trouble
Jimmy Haskell
The Moonrays

Contributors – RYP, Bossexec

Experiment in Terror

Al Caiola
Danny Morris
The Champs
Davie Allen and the Arrows
Henry Mancini
Impala
Laika and the Cosmonauts
The Moonrays
The Blue Hawaiians

Contributors -- Bossexec, Frisian

getitnow

Rondo Hatton Destination Fun

More Rondo Hatton. Surf music from Louisiana? Really? Yep, a quick listen to Rondo Hatton and you'll almost smell the salt air, feel the ocean's breeze on your face and the sand between your toes. Rondo Hatton is an all instrumental quartet based in Baton Rouge, LA. The group plays a variety of music styles including surf, spy , hot rod, westerns, TV themes , Latin and just about anything else, even polkas!

The group is fronted by guitarist Bruce Lamb, who also composes the band's original songs. His musical background includes Blugrass and Country, Blues, R & B, Cajun, Exotica and Tex-Mex Conjunto. He has backed the likes of blues greats Silas Hogan and Lazy Lester, as well as Conjunto legends Flaco Jimenez, Mingo Saldivar and Eddie "Lalo" Torres.

Guitarist Johnny Rossetti has a diverse musical background having played Country, Cajun, Blues and Swamp Pop. He was a member of David Allen Coe's road band and spent many years touring with The Copas Brothers and with Hamonica Red.

Bassist Les Leblanc has been the go to guy for groups all over Louisiana for over 40 years. Equally at home on bass, guitar and keyboards, Les has been in demand with R&B and Swamp Pop bands throughout the south.

Louisiana Music Hall of Fame inductee, Joe Miceli is the man behind the drums. Joe played with John Fred and the Playboys for years. Remember "Judy in Disguise"? It was Joe keeping the beat on this Number 1 hit. Joe has also played with the Copas Brothers as well as Sauce Picante(which featured guitarist Mike Loudermilk, son of famed songwriter John D. Loudermilk).

While Rondo Hatton has limited their performances to the Gulf Coast region, they are now branching out to the rest of the U.S. and at the same time are gaining international recognition.

~ cdbaby

Track List:

01. Thunderbird Beach [02:02]
02. Miramar [02:13]
03. Leo's Roller Rink [03:27]
04. Weekend Getaway [03:50]
05. Cookin [03:43]
06. Quiet Surf [02:39]
07. Big Mack Attack [03:32]
08. Maria Elena [03:43]
09. Oceanside Drive [02:13]
10. Sagebrush Serenade [03:08]
11. El Roll-o [04:22]
12. Tu Besitos [03:35]
13. The Breeze And I [03:17]
14. High Country Surf [02:02]
15. Leadfootin [03:48]
16. Tu Besitos acoustic [03:28]
17. La Bikina [02:12]
18. La Trenecita [02:45]
19. Danson Juarez [03:20]

funfunfun

Elliot Easton's Tiki Gods Easton Island

Elliot Easton's Tiki Gods Easton Island

Easton Island's thirteen original instrumentals incorporate many different strains and influences: John Barry's spy music, Mancini's crime jazz, the exotic sounds of Les Baxter, Ennio Morricone, Jerry Goldsmith, surf music, martini lounge, and space age, merged with the lush, romantic sophistication of Hollywood 60's movie soundtracks, filtered through the sensibilities of musicians who grew up pop-culturally obsessed with the 60's and '70's. This CD release includes the bonus track "Monte Carlo Nights" from the Quentin Tarantino classic motion picture "Jackie Brown".
Wonderfully conceived album. Every musician that played on this album played their instruments impeccably. For those of you who remember Elliot Easton's work as lead guitarist of the Cars you won't recognize his work here. What the listener gets is a blend between the Shadows, Ventures, Polynesian, a bit of Dick Dale, and beatnik sound all rolled into one. The really reminds me of a sound that is more like something I would have heard in the 60's then in 2013. Having said that I really like what Easton has done here. Lovers of this type of genre will enjoy this music. Each of the songs has a different cadence and beat. They are close enough so one song flows well into the next. This is in no way a concept work it just takes you on a ride through your own image of Polynesia from Tiki Gods to surfing.

This is one of those works of music that I like more each time I play it. I hear something new. I get a newer and deeper appreciation for what I am hearing. Tiki Gods reminds me of why I like instrumental music so much. No words to guide you just the spirit of the music. Tiki Gods has a great vibe to it. Try it.

1. Tiki Gods Theme
2. Rarotonga
3. Blue Lava
4. Mu Empire
5. Tabu
6. Jill's Theme
7. Sir Surfalot
8. Sydney's Samba
9. Sabotogia (I Say Sabotage)
10. Isle of Canopic
11. Ballad of Cowboyardee
12. Nocturnia, Moon Goddess
13. Monte Carlo Nights

tikkitavi

Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited -Spooky Sound Sessions

Happy Easter you all. Instead of my annual post of Jesus Christ Surferstar - you can still get that right here in the archives - I figured you would like something different. Here you go -- everyone's FAVORITE SPY?SURF?CINEMA? group has a new bunch of tunes out and I thought you might like to add them to your Easter basket.

In the inter-stellar trajectory of the classic Peter Thomas Orchestra and 101 String's landmark album of esoteric, erotic electronica, "Astro Sounds from Beyond the Year 2000", as well as more modern masters of mood music like Jean Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream, Switzerland's Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited brings us their sixth CD of cinematic ear candy, "The Spooky Sound Sessions" (Dionysus Records). Tunes with titles like "Contract Killer," "The Whistler Returns," "Robotheque" and "la fille dans le train" atmospherically evoke a rainy, windswept, timelessly retro-Euro-noir world of sexy spies, androgynous androids, Danish modern furniture, space age architecture, lunar lounge lizards, leather-n-leopard clad sex kittens, sleek cars and cool people wearing stylish hats, trench coats and sunglasses - in the dark. The futuristic funk of tracks like "Record Shop" and "Sitar Jerk" give off a sort of Jess Franco 70s-sleazy grindhouse vibe, whereas "Gilera Baby" sounds like John Barry`s "Beat Girl" as reinterpreted by Laika and the Cosmonauts. "Sad City" could fit neatly on the soundtrack of any badass blaxploitation flick. Images of everything from classic giallo to Russian sci-fi movies will swim across your sonically massaged brain as you kick back and soak in these smooth, seductive sounds. There's not one extraneous part in this finely tuned musical machine. -- Will "The Thrill" Viharo for Retrospective Magazine

01 - Sitar Jerk
02 - Do The Lurk Around
03 - Robotheque
04 - The Whistler Returns
05 - Gilera Baby
06 - Record Shop
07 - Contract Killer
08 - La Fille Dans Le Train
09 - Re 307
10 - Action Scope
11 - November Morning
12 - Chicken Skin
13 - La Casa Gialla
14 - Sad City

sssussshuh

Spy-Fi - Black Tie Spy

...This time Spy-Fi gathered a collection of original compositions interspersed with select cover tunes. Those covers include a wide variety of styles and influences, not necessarily from the spy-detective genre. They include the classic Perry Mason Theme by Fred Steiner, Rumble by Link Wray, Apache by the Shadows and Wave by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Also included is a snippet of Edvard Griegâs Anitraâs Dance from Peer Gynt. 

The album is organized around the diverse moods and moments one might encounter in a movie soundtrack. Finished thematic ideas are separated by short song sketches which then segue back into more produced and finished tracks. Some tracks also include spoken word segments in Russian, which lend to the air of mystery and intrigue that one may find in a spy saga.

The album is named after its opening track; a collaboration between Spy-Fi and Vic Flick. Mr. Flick is best known for his contributions to the original James Bond Theme and 11 other James Bond soundtracks. Together they have penned Black Tie Spy. Spy-Fi is honored to have Vic involved with the CD and Vic plays guitar on the title track.

At face value, a Black Tie Spy might suggest a male James Bond type character in the usual tuxedo and black tie. But as one can see on the CD cover, all is not what it seems. This Black Tie Spy is a woman, and she means business and says so in Russian throughout the CD. 

The alluring woman is none other than Kay OHara; who hails from Hamilton, Ontario Canada. Kay is a successful pinup model who is involved with a variety of modeling work and was happy to be involved with the new Spy-Fi project. The great Russian vocals were provided by Alla Agafonov, a good friend of Spy-Fi. 

Recently Spy-Fi underwent some personnel changes due to the relocation of its drummer and keyboard player. Bob Yeager, the drummer, moved to Austin, Texas in 2006 and Scott Anderson, the keyboard player, moved to Naples, Florida in 2007. They are still contributing to the overall effort, but distance has obviously limited their involvement on a day-to-day basis. Both Tom Pervanje and Mick Zofcin are still in the Cleveland area and are included on the CD...

Superb spy twang with a jazz influence - and a new volume to the two below.

The cool part is with a little bit of editing of some of the duplicates - you can get all 3 on an 80 minute cd for your fun the sun and travelling.

 01 Black Tie Spy (2:47)

02 Perry Mason (3:23)

03 Spies In Space (0:55)
04 So What's Up (4:15)
05 Then Play Down (1:50)
06 Bass Case (3:14)
07 Fast Indian (1:00)
08 Rumble (1:50)
09 Two Miles (1:31)
10 Memory Burn (3:29)
11 Anitra's Dance (0:33)
12 Apache (3:03)
13 Eldorado (1:41)
14 Illya's Theme (2:08)
15 Then Play Down II (1:11)
16 To J.B. (2:18)
17 La Tavola Da Surf (1:52)
18 Soul Booker (2:28)
19 Wave (3:01)
20 Sunset Beach (5:05)

v3morespyslikeus  

Spy-Fi - Music For Spies, Thighs And Private Eyes Vol.2

Spy-Fi - Music For Spies, Thighs And Private Eyes Vol.2 
01 Slingshot (3:16)
02 Zombo Shuffle (2:21)
03 Dragnet 2007 (2:31)
04 Shot In The Dark (2:21)
05 Get Smart (1:27)
06 Stampede (2:37)
07 Beach Police (2:10)
08 Zambezi (2:43)
09 Pipeline (3:11)
10 Musters Hawaii Five-O (2:36)
11 Mission Impossible (2:53)
12 Lullaby Of Walk Don't Gunn (6:55)

v2 spyslikeus2  

Spy-Fi - Spy-Fi - Music For Spies, Thighs And Private Eyes Vol.1

These have been around the web for a while, I now have the complete set in rip roarin' 320. Now's a good time to get these if you don't already have them or to upgrade your copies to get the most from the twang.

THE MISSION: 

SPY-FI is dedicated to the advancement of spy, detective and surf instrumental music.

WHAT'S SPY YOU SAY?
Spy Music is that derived from the famous Spy/Detective movies and shows from the 50's, 60's and 70's. Familiar themes include the James Bond Theme, Goldfinger, Hawaii 5-0, Perry Mason and Peter Gunn.

WHY NO VOCALIST?
Typically, the theme music in this genre had no vocals, although there are several examples of vocal tunes.

WHAT'S IN THE SET?
A typical Spy-Fi performance ranges from 40 minutes to one and one-half hours. It has been our experience that not more than 90 minutes of instrumental music is perfect for a enjoyable show. Many times Spy-Fi will perform on a double or triple bill with other bands, thereby giving the audience a wide variety of music entertainment for the evening.

THE DOSSIER:
Spy-Fi was founded in July 1996 by Tom Pervanje (guitarist) and Mick Zofcin (bassist). It's mission was to perform Spy Music anytime, anywhere they could. As always, if they embarrassed themselves, their mothers would disavow any knowledge of their actions.

Scott Anderson (keyboards) joined in August 1996 and Bob Yeager, "the hardest working man in spy music", joined up to more than amply meet the challenge in January of 1999. In May 1999, the band was broadcast live on WAPS 91.3 FM in Akron, Ohio. In August, 2000 they played at Acid Beach Party II and Surfer's Stomp 2000 in Los Angeles, California. 2001 and 2002 the band worked on their CD production and performed at local establishments.

2003/2004 has brought the completion of the CD project, a double CD release in two volumes: 25 songs, 75 minutes long of some the greatest spy-theme music ever written, from Mission Impossible to Peter Gunn to the JB Theme.

01 James Bond Theme Goldfinger (3:51)
02 Secret Agent Man (3:27)
03 Penetration (4:16)
04 Town W O Pitty (2:59)
05 Neptune (2:56)
06 Dick Tracy (1:58)
07 Pursuasion (1:58)
08 Ried's Situation (2:50)
09 Mother's Worry (1:51)
10 Batman Theme (2:15)
11 Experiment In Terror (2:14)
12 Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2:06)
13 Telstar (3:11)


v1  spyslikeus

Metrolites – For The People

From the first Russian inspired harmonies of KGB vs. UFO to the final sounds of fascist dictator speeches across the radio dial (For the People), you know you're in for a treat. The album combines hard driving rock-n-roll with surf, lounge, 60's sci fi, and spaghetti western sounds for an inventive and fun listen with an anti-government/protest theme. Very current. The sound is often sultry and seductive with a bit of whimsy. A catchy tune with brilliant interplay of counter melodies and harmonies is the standard throughout. The contrast of the rich baritone voice with the thin tenor is featured on several songs. When listening one must ask: "Do they serve martinis on the planet of the apes? And if so, can I have my shaken not stirred?" Just like Four Piece Suit (see archives), their influences range from straight up rock and roll, to spaghetti western, to Tin Pan Alley. Watch out for the sultry bump and grind saxophone of Agent Orange and the hard driving guitar of Diabolik Kriminal. Listening to this will have you humming the melodies and tapping your toes while mixing the perfect ratio of vermouth to gin. Also check out their first one – In Spy-Fi - in the archives- for a double dose of spiffiness. Crank up those cocktail shakers and let loose.

UFO vs. KGB 2. K is for Kafka 3. Welcome to the Police State 4. Cocktails on the Planet of the Apes 5. Banana Republique 6. Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Spy 7. Old Fascist Gal 8. Chunky Macapuno 9. High School Friends 10. All Giant Monsters Attack Tokyo 11. Marsupial Legal Proceeding 12. Giant Hula Monster 13. Agent Orange Gets His Groove Back 14. Diabolik Kriminal 15. For The People

ftpeople

Hugo Montenegro – All Time Greatest Movie Themes and Schemes

Classic orchestral western and spy themes from the movies and tv – all in one place.
Nuff said.

1. Come Spy With Me 2. Secret Agent Man (From the CBS-TV show "Secret Agent") 3. Theme From "I Spy" (From the NBC Television show "I Spy") 4. Thunderball (From the United Artists motion picture "Thunderball") 5. Theme From The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (Remastered) 6. The Silencers (From the Columbia Picture "The Silencers")7. The James Bond 8. Get Smart Theme (From the NBC Television series "Get Smart") 9. Theme From "The F.B.I." - (From the Television Series "The F.B.I.") 10. The Man From Thrush11. Theme From "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" 12. Goldfinger 13. Our Man Flint 14. Illya 15. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly ((from the film "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly" released through United Artists)) 16. Hang 'Em High (From the United Artists motion picture "Hang 'em High") 17. For A Few Dollars More (From the film "For A Few Dollars More" released through United Artists) 18. Theme From "A Fistful Of Dollars" (From the film "A Fistful of Dollars", released through United Artists) 19. Theme For Three (From the Warner Bros. - Seven Arts Picture "Wait Until Dark")20. The Godfather Waltz (From the Paramount Picture "The Godfather")

hugois

boss

The Saboteurs - Espionage Garage

"Spy-Surf" gets a fairly well-rounded workout on this trio's 1998 disc. This Canadian group recorded the CD in Japan--in seemingly low-fi, reverb-drenched surroundings with minimal production by lead guitarist Mark Brodie. Though apparently recorded in the late 90's, there's no sound herein which would indicate it was made after 1966 or so--this would have fit right in as the soundtrack to a Bond or Matt Helms movie.The songs are a fairly good cross-section of various rockin' instrumental styles: a couple of surf-like uptempo rockers ("Spy Party" or "Do the Creep"), lots of minor key themes conveying the darkness and danger of spy action(such as "The Man from E.N.I.G.M.A", "Midnight Rendezvous" or the title song), and a couple of choice covers of 60's instrumentals. (These are the Lee Hazelwood-penned "The Hearse", made famous by the best surf band ever from Boulder, Colorado...the Astronauts, and Bobby Fuller's "Our Favorite Martian" (here dubbed "Our Favorite Saboteur").The performances are smooth without being overly polished, the sound treads the line between an echoey demo tape and a retro-low-fi atmosphere, and the overall mood is consistently interesting even though the disc almost seems at times to be made up of a series of variations on a theme. There's one apparent soundbite from some hokey radio play of the 30's or 40's leading off "Into the Shadows", and an even hokier (if that's a word) spoken word intro and outro to the disc which are not nearly as entertaining as the band seems to think they are. The time spent on these two pieces would have been better served by coming up with a few more memorable songs to add to the menu. Other than this tiny complaint, the disc is recommended to anyone wishing to add a bit of secret agent vibe to their next surf party background music or soundtrack.

Introduction 2. Unabomber 3. Spy Party 4. The Man From E.N.I.G.M.A. 5. Espionage Garage 6. The Hearse 7. Midnight Rendezvous 8. Mission: Unsurfable 9. The Crow Flies At Midnight 10. Our Favorite Sabateur 11. Main Theme From 'The Smiler' 12. Into The Shadows 13. Do The Creep 14. Conclusion

sabos

The King Dexter All Stars - Greatest Hits

COOL! That's how you describe a band that, according to the ORLANDO FREE STAR, "moves easily between the musical worlds of South American b-movies, New York jazz haunts, surf parties, New Orleans hoodoo havens, Mexican tourist traps, Jersey punk clubs, Miami prono flicks and dot com grip & grins". Whether they're playing rock'n'roll, jazz or lounge schmaltz, these cats are operating on "all-systems-GO". TOKYO TODAY called their concerts "a meeting of the Atomic Age, the Beat Age and the Digital Age".

"The King Dexter All-Stars is basically a 60's band," says King Dexter, "we never lost our early spirit and still try to put a touch of that bravado in everything we play". That statement holds true over the entire collection of 15 songs that showcase their talent for injecting psychedelic fun and a party attitude into rock, jazz and lounge music. Great spy fi.

1 Brujo de Loco 2 Third Floor Man 3 Johnny Pronto 4 Shark Tank 5 Tortuga 6 Knee Lock 7 Samurai.org.jp 8 Skyscraper 9 Casa de Denero 10 Blue Sidewalk 11 Crymia River 12 Calle Duro 13 The Big Bean 14 Miami AM 15 Spy Spy Girl

kingy

wingy

The Sex Mob - Does Bond

Sex Mob – Does James Bond

Trumpeter Steven Bernstein is not your typical jazz cat. First off, he plays a slide trumpet. Secondly, it's not often you find a downtown musician interested in playing music that is both accessible and humorous. Thus, it's no surprise that his band the Sex Mob (with special guest John Medeski on organ) does select renditions of songs from five James Bond flicks. Bernstein captures the original sophisticated feel of the music, mostly composed by John Barry. Tunes like "Battle at Piz Gloria" are subdued and dreamy, while the carnival-like "007" is more upbeat, sounding like it was played by a bunch of drunken spy-sailors on furlough. Something that will make you scratch your head, tap your foot, and giggle, Sex Mob Does Bond captures everything that is fun and quirky about this band, and makes a great tribute album in the process. Mission accomplished. --Tad Hendrickson

If you are a Bond fan this is for you. Many different variations on this make it a gem - even with no guitars. Although, it sometimes goes a little experimental which some people find to be a bit annoying. But those tracks that stick out are GREAT, but prepared for some acid jazz and experimental jazz thrown in the mix. Good for parties.

1. Dr. Yes 2. Teasing The Korean 3. This Never Happened To The Other Feller
4. 007 5. Battle At Piz Gloria 6. You Only Live Twice 7. Bond With Bongos
8. Oddjob's Pressing Engagement 9. Bond Back In Action Again
10. Over And Out 11. Dawn Raid On Fort Knox 12. Nobody Does It Better
13. Dr. Yes (Reprise)

sexx

mobb

The Reverb Syndicate - Operation Jet Set

To celebrate their new disc of reberb drenched spy-fi soundz – we bring you a blast from the past ----
The Reverb Syndicate is a crack team of free thinking, strong willed (and even stronger chinned) individuals from Ottawa Canada who form a top secret intelligence agency sworn to uphold the freedom of martini swilling bachelor pads and good taste. They are four, sixties-styled men that can - nay, will - make a difference in our modern world. Each agent is a trained covert tactical specialist, armed with exceptional taste in music, bucket-loads of charisma and their own god-given talents. Our heroes will use the purest form of music to combat the evil plans of commercial radio and ensure that popular youth culture will never succumb to the mind withering conformity of Top 40. What music is still pure you ask? The reverb soaked, red-lined, key pounding all out assault of SPY-FI!Review:Operation: Jet Set! -- has got everything you could want in the latest Flint or Matt Helm flick... cool, surf-style instrumentals that would make Hank B Marvin and his fellow Shadows proud --Allan Wigney, The Ottawa SunMuch of the music here is very inviting from an arrangement and playing perspective, as well as lovely tone. The Reverb Syndicate have a number of very good songs here, and I found myself enjoying it more the more I listened. --Phil Dirt, Reverb Central ( http://www.reverbcentral.com/ )

1 - Theme To "Operation: Jet Set!" 2 - I Am The New Number Two3 - Oil Slicks And Ejector Seats 4 - On To Checkpoint Bravo5 - Shake Don't Stir 6 - The Code Is ********7 - I Am Not A Pleasure Unit 8 - Zis Is KAOS! 9 - M's Lament10 - Inlet Of Dire Consequences 11 - ...And The Hero Gets The Girl

Hello! Agent Vic20 from the Reverb Syndicate here. We just stumbled on this blog, and we would like to encourage you to download our album. We think it's pretty good, and we hope you enjoy it! If you don't like it, that's okay too. We understand. If you do enjoy it, and you're considering picking up a copy foryourself, it's only $9.97 on CDBaby. How cool is that? We promise that no proceeds will go to major labels, A&R guys, slickadvertising campaigns or $100,000 music videos directed by Spike Lee. We're a completely independent band with no music business ties whatsoever. All proceeds will go towards the recording and productionof our second album we'd like to make in the fall.Thanks for listening! Tell your friends! Keep in touch!

Cheers!Agent Vic20

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Go buy their EXCELLENT new set – Sputnik A-Go-Go at CDBABY here NOW!!!!

I already have mine and it does not disappoint!!

Men From S.P.E.C.T.R.E. - The Living Eye

There's just something about the band name the Men from S.P.E.C.T.R.E. that puts listeners in mind of a fantasy collaboration between the Television Personalities circa Mummy Your Not Watching Me and Thee Milkshakes at the height of their garage-stomp powers. The exceedingly mod-trippy cover art only adds to the high expectations. It's a bit disappointing to report that in fact The Living Eye is nothing of the sort; on the other hand, what it is is in fact pretty cool. This German instrumental combo is all about the organ (note the title of their record label), and The Living Eye contains 11 tracks of funky Hammond organ rock with some soul-jazz and lite-psych tendencies. Rather than trying to recreate the 60's mod sound, the men are incorporating a more modern vision while staying true to the roots of the movement they further. Their songs are layered with multiple levels of sound, impeccable timing with sound effects that work with the music and don't stand out as cheap sonics, and the rhythms are both groovy and psychedelic at the same time. Plenty of mojo to go around. This album has good flow while each song is very polished and fluid in it's own right. No dead spots. Focus rotates around the band on most tracks and any of them could step into the soundtrack of a movie as there's lots of motion implied by the sound. Bonus points for song titles like "Purple Pill People" and "Electric Tiger Snake." Way groovy. Get shakin’.

1 Black Tank 2 The Luck of Teela Brown 3 Purple Pill People 4 The Living Eye 5 Apartment 23 6 Wild Driver 7 Mercury Wall 8 Electric Tiger Snake 9 The Robbery 10 White Russian 11 Astralkörper

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Diplomats of Solid Sound - Let's Cool One

What is it? All instrumental rock/funk/surf beats and riffs, but with an emphasis on improvisation. The prominent Hammond organ sounds the way only a Hammond can and the guitar has that classic chunkiness that's so retro that it's hip. These guys are great musicians, but without overplaying - just grooving. Most of the tunes follow a jazz form: a groove-oriented head, a bridge, a few solos, then the head again. I'd expect to see this in the Jazz section because of the improvisation, but the sound is all rock. Check out Destination Get Down! at my buddy Trustar Vibrations for more band info and funky licks and crab some other great goodies while you are there. Tell him DaBoss sent ya!

Cuber Baker 2. Who's Got the Grady? 3. You Can Make It If You Try 4. Swamp Chomp 5. Shadow of Your Soul 6. Ribsticker 7. My Place BBQ 8. Pistol Allen 9. Don't Touch My Popcorn 10. Escape from Shantytown 11. Clyde the Glide 12. Plush Club

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Ray Corvair Trio - You Think You Are Going To Live Forever?

This Boston-area instrumental act first came to my attention with a stellar live version of the song "Carl Needs A Pill" on the compilation CD called "Attack of the Killer Surf Guitars" (in archives). The studio version of that song makes its appearance,along with 10 others, on this eponymous CD.

The instrumetal sounds of the Ray Corvair trio (Guitar, Bass, Drums) will be welcome music to the ears of fans of bands like Los Straitjackets, Aqua Velvets, The Space Cossacks and the Fathoms. The music could not be strictly catagorized as "surf", as most of the songs do not have all of the traditional surf music elements of a fast tempo, heavy reverb, staccato picking, lots of use of the whammy bar, etc., but some of these elements are thrown in the mix throughout the disc. This is very tough music to pigeonhole into a specific catagory--call it instrumental rock and be done it.

There is a "Film Noir" aspect to the overall mood to the disc, with lots of minor key forrays into dark musical alleys. Some of the song titles hint at Pulp-Fiction-type themes, such as "The Body in the Trunk" and "The Darkest Time of the Night". There are also some major key forrays into an almost funky sound filled with sixth and seventh chords from the guitar, such as the afore-mentioned "Body in the Trunk" and "Smoke". There's a Central American side trip on "Honduras" and a James Bond-esque reverb soaked sendup with the tongue-in-cheek title of "The Spy Who Couldn't Get Any Action". (Must not have been James Bond after all!)

One of the things that struck me about the live song that I first heard from this band was how good the recording sounded. This disc only improves on that sound. It's credited as a joint production of the band and Drew Townson, and these guys prove big time that they know what they're doing in the studio. This is one of the best sounding discs you'll hear in any genre. There are some tricks with overdubs, echo/tape speed effects and extra percussion, but most of the time you are hearing the trio locked in tight and playing as one. The drums sound very crisp and full, the bass comes through extremely clearly without dominating, and Ray's guitar work is quite good, although he does paint from a somewhat limited palettte.
This is a very satisfying disc to fans of instrumental rockin' music, and bears up to repeated listenings. I highly recommend this for anyone seeking to avoid vocals in their enjoyment of guitar-based rock-n-roll. Alan Hutchings

Great spy fi. Get it now and enjoy.

1. Punta 2. The Darkest Time of the Night 3. Carl Needs a Pill
4. The Bag 5. The Body in the Trunk 6. Crazy Doings 7. Honduras 8. Big Texas Surf
9. !Smoke! 10. The Spy Who Couldn't Get Any Action

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The Yards

The Yards

Groovy organ based spy type soundz .....also on the Wilson Chance Soundtrack (in archives). Recommended.

1. Sweet Potato Soup
2. Here Comes the Yard Man
3. Bridges
5. Wish I Knew
6. Miss Misty
7. You Are the Thing
8. You Got It
9. KTA (Comin' Back)
10. Sunday Night
11. BMW

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