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Hi-Fi Archives: The Surfites


The Surfites
"Escapades In Space"
The Surfites
Double Crown, 2008




     (Review by Jeff Berkwits)
    In the early 1960s, just as the first astronauts began orbiting the earth, the surf music craze reached its height. Whether that's coincidence or not is debatable, but it is safe to say that, despite numerous rosy predictions at the time, humanity hasn't yet begun to truly surf the stars. That fact alone makes this inventive instrumental concept album, which brings to mind that go-go era, simultaneously evocative and futuristic.
     The 15 tracks (plus a brief bonus cut) take the listener on a remarkable out-of-this-world journey, blending vintage surf guitar sounds with Space Age-inspired melodies. Numbers such as "Comet's Tail" and "Danger Ahead" affectionately recall the fun lounge-tinged tunes that accompanied such fab 'Supermarionation' TV series as "Thunderbirds" and "Fireball XL5," even as compositions like "Space Mover" and "Around The Galaxy" evoke a more traditional sand-and-sun vibe. While mankind may not be riding the solar waves just yet, the extraterrestrial twang and imaginative verve of this recording make such excursions seem not only plausible but also altogether pleasurable.

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A long-time aficionado of retro music and film, Jeff Berkwits has covered vintage sounds for numerous publications and websites including Bachelor Pad Magazine, Filmfax, Outré, and Amazing Stories. He regularly comments on classic melodies and movies via Twitter at www.twitter.com/reviewdujour.
 
 


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