The Birth of Surf, Vol. 2

by N/A

Overview

Like the first volume of this series on Ace Records, this might not be the very best surf rock compilation, but should be on the short list for anyone looking for the very best such anthologies once you get past the most obvious ones. The 26 tracks do have a couple big hits, the Ventures' "Walk, Don't Run" and the Rockin' Rebels' "Wild Weekend," both of which might have been more properly categorized as influences on surf music rather than genuine surf tunes. But most of these are not common fare even on surf compilations; even the selections by well-known artists (Dick Dale, the Surfaris, the Chantays, the Trashmen, Bobby Fuller, the Astronauts, the Pyramids) aren't their most famous songs. Some of these might verge on enjoyable background music depending on your taste, but overall this is heavy on surf's best distinguishing traits -- haunting melodies, reverb guitar picking, lean brisk rhythms -- while maintaining a good amount of variety. And although surf music is primarily a Southern Californian phenomenon, with many of the bands here coming from that region, the CD also represents artists from various other corners of the country who plugged into the sound. Occasionally a particularly dynamite track leaps to the fore, and while again this will vary according to individual tastes, the Chantays certainly excel at projecting surf's darker moods on "Monsoon"; the Scarlets' furiously bopping "Stampede," cut in New York in 1959, illustrates how primordial surf was being waxed far from the West Coast even before the '60s; and the Vy-Dels' "Unknown" -- from 1965, which was pretty late in the game for surf's prime -- crackles with atmosphere. By far the most surprising name here, although his presence won't surprise longtime surf enthusiasts, is Jim Messina, who plays lead guitar with the Jesters on his 1964 instrumental "The Thing." ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	03/02/2010
Label:	Ace
UPC:	0029667039925

Tracks

1. Walk, Don't Run  -  Ventures
2. Stampede  - Pete Antonio  - Bert Salmirs  -  Scarlets  - Wally Zober
3. Shanghied  - John Greek  -  Wailers
4. Church Key  - Barbara Adkins  - Dan Darnold  - Norman Knowles  -  Revels
5. Wild Weekend  -  Rockin' Rebels  - Phil Todaro
6. Bust Out  - Dave Benjamin  -  Busters
7. Surf Beat  - Dick Dale  -  Dale
8. Point Panic  - Bob Berryhill  - Pat Connolly  - Jim Fuller  - Jim Pash  -  Surfaris
9. Monsoon  -  Chantays  - Warren Waters  - Bob Welch
10. Bullwinkle, Pt. 2  -  Centurions  - Ernie Furrow  - Dennis Rose
11. High Tide  - Ed Chiaverini  - Tim Fitzpatrick  - Ron Griffith  -  Lively Ones  - Jim Masoner  - Joel Willenbring
12. Hot Doggin'  -  Astronauts  - Bob Demmon  - Rich Fifield  - Jim Gallagher  - Dennis Lindsey  - Stormy Patterson
13. Enchanted  - Bobby Hart  -  Pagents
14. Surfari  -  Original Surfaris  - Larry Weed
15. Malaguena  - Casado Lecuona  -  Trashmen
16. Midnight Run  - Roger Christian  -  Pyramids  - Gary Usher
17. Baggies  -  Bel-Aires
18. Banzai Washout  -  Catalinas
19. The Thing  - Jim Messina  -  Messina
20. Our Favorite Martian  - Bobby Fuller  -  Fuller
21. Crash  -  Creations  - Chuck Delaney
22. Cloudburst  - Gene Best  - Jay Best  -  Kan Dells  - Bob VanDerSchaegen  - Mike VanDerSchaegen
23. Golash  -  Intrepides  -  Lansdowne
24. Mr. X  -  Velvetones
25. Unknown  -  Vy-Dels
26. Theme from the Endless Summer  - Walter Georis  - Lou Josie  -  Sandals

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Velvetones   Primary Artist
The Ventures   Primary Artist
Kan Dells   Primary Artist
The Creations   Primary Artist
Intrepides   Primary Artist
The Revels   Primary Artist
The Wailers   Primary Artist
The Trashmen   Primary Artist
The Bel-Aires   Primary Artist
The Centurions   Primary Artist
The Lively Ones   Primary Artist
Barbara Adkins   Primary Artist
The Rockin' Rebels   Primary Artist
Bobby Fuller & the Fanatics   Primary Artist
The Sandals   Primary Artist
Jim Messina & the Jesters   Primary Artist
Vy-Dels   Primary Artist
The Catalinas   Primary Artist
The Pyramids   Primary Artist
The Scarlets   Primary Artist
The Busters   Primary Artist
The Astronauts   Primary Artist
The Chantays   Primary Artist
Dick Dale & His Del-Tones   Primary Artist
Original Surfaris   Primary Artist
The Pagents   Primary Artist
The Surfaris   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Dennis Lindsey   Composer
The Velvetones   Composer
Dennis Rose   Composer
Norman Knowles   Composer
Jim Gallagher   Composer
Jim Pash   Composer
Joel Willenbring   Composer
Trevor Churchill   Master Tape Assembly
Bert Salmirs   Composer
Bobby Fuller   Composer
Bobby Hart   Composer
Larry Weed   Composer
Lou Josie   Composer
Gary Usher   Composer
Alan Taylor   Liner Notes,Photo Courtesy
Tim Fitzpatrick   Composer
Jools DeVere   Package Design
Wally Zober   Composer
Ron Griffith   Composer
Ed Chiaverini   Composer
Bob Berryhill   Composer
Phil Todaro   Composer
Stormy Patterson   Composer
Jim Fuller   Composer
Dan Darnold   Composer
John Greek   Composer
Roger Christian   Composer
Lansdowne   Composer
Ernie Furrow   Composer
Jim Masoner   Composer
Bob Demmon   Composer
Pat Connolly   Composer
Warren Waters   Composer
Gene Best   Composer
Mike VanDerSchaegen   Composer
Jay Best   Composer
Bob VanDerSchaegen   Composer
Chuck Delaney   Composer
Pete Antonio   Composer
Dave Benjamin   Composer
Bob Welch   Composer
Duncan Cowell   Mastering
Rob Shread   Audio Restoration
Casado Lecuona   Composer
Walter Georis   Composer
Dick Dale   Composer
Jim Messina   Arranger,Composer,Engineer
Rich Fifield   Composer