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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Music Reviews »

Permalink Phil Dirt gives 4 stars to Reverb Galaxy-Angle of Attack CD

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This just in on our debut CD available at www.cdbaby.com Thanks Phil!!

Note: - "Revvin' the Woodie" is the song title of our 8th track, although "Wevvin' the Woodie" would have been very cool.

Per Phil-------
Reverb Galaxy - Angle Of Attack
These guys sure take their time about releasing their songs. Their four-song demo was four years ago, and all four songs are redone here, along with five very strong new tracks. I like Angle Of Attack a lot.

Picks: Invasion, Balkan Stomp, 10 Miles To Nagshead, In The Shadows' Shadow, La Cantina (de los Malditos), Sinister Island, Dark Pulsar, Wevvin' The Woodie, Blue Sunset

Track by Track Review

Invasion Surf (Instrumental)

"Invasion" is surf sci fi with a dark melody line and dribbled double picked drama. The song has several parts, and just seems to get better and better as it moves through them.


Balkan Stomp
Surf (Instrumental)

"Balkan Stomp" features an infectious rhythm and solid beat, and an intriguing melody line. It has an old world feeling, but also calls to the surf quite admirably. Spirited and nicely arranged. This is a much nicer production than the 2005 version.

10 Miles To Nagshead Surf (Instrumental)

Charming bell-like tremolo shimmer opens "10 Miles To Nags Head," which quickly becomes a soft and moody number with a pretty melody. There are some delightful tone shifts. This is crisper and more pleasing than the 2005 version.

In The Shadows' Shadow Surf (Instrumental)

In a very respectful not (nod-sic) to The Shadows, Reverb Galaxy plays a lush and lovely song with long floating notes. Slightly sad, and very sensual, with island imagery at times. Very nice!

La Cantina (de los Malditos) Surf (Instrumental)

Spanish influence, lovely surf chords, and a flowing melody perfectly align. "La Cantina (de los Malditos)" is simply lovely with reverb. This is the song I keep coming back to.

Sinister Island Surf (Instrumental)

The island of danger lures you in with its beauty and mysterious haze. "Sinister Island" is beautiful in the way femme fatales are, lurid, enticing, seductive, and ultimately fatal. Cool song. I think I like the 2005 take just a tine fraction better.

Dark Pulsar Surf (Instrumental)

Speedy and sporting the kind of melody line that Hava Nagila makes possible. Dark and forbidding, yet calling you to the curl. "Dark Pulsar" is a splendid instrumental with an infectious tribal thunder. This is a much stronger track than the 2005 version.

Wevvin' The Woodie (Revvin' the Woodie-sic) Surf (Instrumental)

"Wevvin' The Woodie" is a very nice rock instro with a coastal feeling and spatial sound. Great tom toms and bass. Elmer Fudd musta writ the title... too funny!

Blue Sunset Surf (Instrumental)

"Blue Sunset" is delicate and easy going, with lush reverb and very gentle melody line. You can see a sunset over the Pacific from a palm lined beach as you listen.

Surfcat

2023 SG101 Compilation - Tribute to Noel
The Journey Home - Agent Octopus (Our SG101 Comp download)

From Atlantis with Love - Released - July 2023
Agent Octopus-Spotify
Christmas on the Beach - NEW SINGLE Dec 2023!!
Reverb Galaxy - Angle of Attack CD - BANDCAMP

Surf, the most dangerous of all musical genres...

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 23, 2009 21:30:23

zak
All credibility is lost when reviews like this one are posted with a 5-star rating...

FIVE STARS???

Zak,
Are you referring to the Merrell Fankhauser - We Love Tikis CD?

Surfcat

2023 SG101 Compilation - Tribute to Noel
The Journey Home - Agent Octopus (Our SG101 Comp download)

From Atlantis with Love - Released - July 2023
Agent Octopus-Spotify
Christmas on the Beach - NEW SINGLE Dec 2023!!
Reverb Galaxy - Angle of Attack CD - BANDCAMP

Surf, the most dangerous of all musical genres...

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 23, 2009 21:30:26

zak
Indeed I am.
That's why I provided the links Laughing

Understood-still a newbie. When you get a chance, go to our myspace page and give a listen to some of the tracks. See what you think.

Surfcat

2023 SG101 Compilation - Tribute to Noel
The Journey Home - Agent Octopus (Our SG101 Comp download)

From Atlantis with Love - Released - July 2023
Agent Octopus-Spotify
Christmas on the Beach - NEW SINGLE Dec 2023!!
Reverb Galaxy - Angle of Attack CD - BANDCAMP

Surf, the most dangerous of all musical genres...

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 23, 2009 21:30:34

I think Zak's review is infinitely more useful and says a lot more about what the listener can expect. It also arouses my curiosity more. Phil's is more of a generic description of the songs without any critique, it could apply to almost any surf collection.

Zak,
Thanks for the critique. Very much appreciated. I'm sure you know how it works-you go into the studio thinking you know everything, and mucho dollars later it's too late to redo and re-record. It was a learning experience. I think the power of the lead was a definite issue-we did a split amp thing, but the miking was too close, and my amps couldn't breathe. Plus the band was separated more like an eighties pop record instead of the traditional "live" recording, so I think that hurt the cohesiveness. On the other hand, I feel like we've got some very good songs, and I'm very happy with our writing/arrangements.

I'm a very direct person, so I appreciate your candor. Can't fix something if everyone keeps telling you it's not broken..... We don't plan to return to the studio until 2010, but I will keep your comments in mind.
Thanks,
Art Cool

Surfcat

2023 SG101 Compilation - Tribute to Noel
The Journey Home - Agent Octopus (Our SG101 Comp download)

From Atlantis with Love - Released - July 2023
Agent Octopus-Spotify
Christmas on the Beach - NEW SINGLE Dec 2023!!
Reverb Galaxy - Angle of Attack CD - BANDCAMP

Surf, the most dangerous of all musical genres...

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 23, 2009 21:30:41

Zak,
I really appreciate all the time and thought you have put into your responses. I will keep these things in mind during round 2 of recording. Have you written any articles on recording? If not, why not?

Art

Surfcat

2023 SG101 Compilation - Tribute to Noel
The Journey Home - Agent Octopus (Our SG101 Comp download)

From Atlantis with Love - Released - July 2023
Agent Octopus-Spotify
Christmas on the Beach - NEW SINGLE Dec 2023!!
Reverb Galaxy - Angle of Attack CD - BANDCAMP

Surf, the most dangerous of all musical genres...

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 23, 2009 21:30:45

we have an "Invasion" song too haha

Guitar Player in Nahuelaizers
http://nahuelaizers.bandcamp.com

That's some great advice Zak. Something everybody making records should take a look at. Especially myself.

Ryan
The Secret Samurai Website
The Secret Samurai on Facebook

I'm with Zak all the way here. Good production is crucial, especially in this genre. As a DJ there are good songs, often from members here, that I'm hesitant to play because they sound so awful and dull sandwiched between well-recorded songs, no matter how great the melody. Although you do want a unique sound, you can still take examples from other albums that sound good to you. Not every band that records at Toe Rag sounds the same, but most have a similar quality.

From interning at a recording studio, I know that it's not uncommon to have non-band members sit in on a session. If they have a good ear, that's probably not a bad idea, since you're very attached to your songs and have a biased ear. Good recordings are cheaper than they've ever been in history, but with that cheapness comes engineers who have the equipment, but not the ability.

Personally (and I am certainly not Phil Dirt here) I think it's better to be lo-fi than bad hi-fi. It might be worth it teaching yourself a few things, or at least subscribing to Tape Op.

Storm Surge of Reverb: Surf & Instro Radio

oh by the way that's more about surf in general, not specifically this album. I could only get one track to load on myspace and still agree with Zak, but I've heard much much worse than that.

Storm Surge of Reverb: Surf & Instro Radio

ElMonstroPorFavor
It might be worth it teaching yourself a few things, or at least subscribing to Tape Op.

Tape Op is great in theory, but I doubt there's more than a very, very small handful of people here who have access to even the lowest end of the spectrum of what and who they usually cover.

Then again, Larry Crane did work with Satan's Pilgrims ...

-Warren

That was excessively violent and completely unnecessary. I loved it.

That's true, but there's plenty in there just about the creative process of recording, as well as different techniques, microphone placement, etc.

Storm Surge of Reverb: Surf & Instro Radio

Guys,
Appreciate all the comments on production. Something for all of us to consider. But, in the end I still believe a good song is a good song or a good melody line is what we hum when we go home after a show.

I've heard plenty of vintage and new surf songs recorded beautifully, but in the end they are I-IV-V or some variation over and over again, and often with no real melodic contribution.

Just a thought. By the way, has anyone else listened to our songs on www.myspace.com/reverbgalaxy or bought the cd? If so, what do you think?

Surfcat

2023 SG101 Compilation - Tribute to Noel
The Journey Home - Agent Octopus (Our SG101 Comp download)

From Atlantis with Love - Released - July 2023
Agent Octopus-Spotify
Christmas on the Beach - NEW SINGLE Dec 2023!!
Reverb Galaxy - Angle of Attack CD - BANDCAMP

Surf, the most dangerous of all musical genres...

Zak, your comments are very interesting to me and I respect what you have to say. Can you post a link to a song that you think is a good example of the kind of recording quality you'd like to hear?

Danny Snyder

Latest project - Now That's What I Call SURF
_
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

I'm back playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Danny, Zak pointed to the entire second Huntington Cads album as an example of great production for this genre. I would agree. I would be incredibly pleased if my recordings were of that quality in mix and production.

Ryan
The Secret Samurai Website
The Secret Samurai on Facebook

Last edited: Jan 08, 2009 19:31:49

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