I just listened to this again after a break. It's amazing and you should own it.
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Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19251 Des Moines, Iowa, USA |
I just listened to this again after a break. It's amazing and you should own it. —Site dude - S3 Agent #202 "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea |
Joined: Dec 12, 2006 Posts: 2680 Ventura, CA |
I second that. I've had this CD playing non-stop this week after a break from it and I don't see myself taking it out of the player very soon. One of the best CDs period. Beside the great songs and inspired playing and arrangements, there is a wild and spontaneous quality about it that makes it very exciting to listen to. And then there are the incredible guitar tones, effects and noises that send it over the top. I am mystified as to how Danny gets some of those clean sustained notes. This is the future of surf music....literally. |
Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11041 Berkeley, CA |
Thanks guys! No mystery on the sustained notes. I played through 2 amps. One a brownface Bandmaster with all the reverb and echo, and the other a mid 60's Harmony 420 (Valco) with the volume control dimed. Thus I get the tight punchy Fender tone and the compressed and sustained hairy tone in tandem. You can hear it as notes trail off throughout the album. We played a lot with that in the mix, it's not by accident I assure you. Full credit goes to former SG101'er Zak Izbinsky for suggesting this setup. —Danny Snyder Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF |
Joined: Mar 15, 2011 Posts: 8528 Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up. |
Danny, do you play live like this or is it really only audible in a studio mix? And, btw, I play this CD at least once a week, not only because it's terrific, but because it's inspiring. I may never reach your level of playing, but it's certain if I aim this high, I'll end up playing better than if I aim for less. DannySnyder wrote: — This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got. |
Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11041 Berkeley, CA |
I do when the gig warrants it i.e. enough room on stage for 2 amps. If not, I compromise by using an overdrive pedal set relatively low in front of the bandmaster. (Tubescreamer just like Jake) —Danny Snyder Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF |
Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11041 Berkeley, CA |
Noel, my level of playing isn't unattainable I assure you. Just takes some consistent practice. Writing songs on the other hand seems to be an innate talent that some people happen to have more than others - in other words they got lucky. —Danny Snyder Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF |
Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11041 Berkeley, CA |
Check out this review posted on our Amazon page, it's very flattering that someone would take the time to write it. To paraphrase Dorothy Boyd in `Jerry McGuire,' you had me at the intro. It's rare when a song grabs you at the first note and then makes you hold on for dear life. Little Richard's Tutti-Frutti comes to mind; as does Anarchy in the UK and Wipeout. That initial blast of music and or lyric gets your attention, telling you the performer has something to say that is at once important and is also something you will enjoy. That feeling. that shock-and-awe sensation happened to me when I heard `Dr. Kilometers (Uncertainty Principle)' on It's About Time! by The TomorrowMen. What's even better is the feeling did not go away as I listened to the rest of that song and the other tracks on this excellent surf instrumental CD. This album doesn't evoke the best parts of surf instrumentals, nor is it the case the band is channeling groups like The Chantays, Dick Dale and the Del-tones or The Challengers; to name but a few of the groups that were emblematic of this genre during the first era of surf music. To do that - to simply be technically proficient enough to imitate those sounds - is the stuff of cover bands and parodists. And, that is not what The TomorrowMen do. Instead, they - through the creation of original and genuinely well written, arranged and performed tunes are the once and future kings of surf music, bringing to us the sounds and the emotions expected and required. But, don't think the material is all retro-sound. While The TomorrowMen's music is firmly planted in the traditional surf music, the band uses this foundation to build a current feel into the songs which again serves to eliminate any sense the band is coasting along through emulation and duplication. As good surf music must, the album takes the listener through the notional day-at-the-beach for a surfer. However, it's neither the contrived day of the 60s beach movies with Frankie and Annette, nor is it a relatively low-intensity-though-artistically-graceful day at Malibu. No, it's a more muscular surfing situation this music portrays: maybe Maverick's or Pipeline on the kind of day you have to work to reach the shoulder before the close-out. You especially get this ambience on `Maelstrom,' a song that lives up to its name and 'Curse You Fred Haines.' And, for the end of the day - when you're a little bit sore and your eardrums are still throbbing from the pressure after the wipeout - there's some slower stuff like Midnight at the Chronolab and Claire de Lune. This latter song is a very, very good adaptation of a Debussy piece which - when facing the risks and perils of going down the path of transformation that can lead to bastardization - is a triumph not unlike Jeff Beck doing Bolero or The Who's Hall of the Mountain King. (As an aside, I've always felt there's always been a bit of a classical streak in surf music; think about how many songs incorporate French horns and strings!) Danny Snyder Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF |
Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 1683 Georgia |
An excellent, well-written review, and deserved. The Mystery Men? |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1054 Chicago IL. |
Danny just hipped me to this album. We'd been talking a bit about Jazzmasters via PM and mentioned the album. I'll have to be honest I know of Danny through the Meshugga Beach Party but that's about it. I always thought it was just Mel who did all the leads on the Meshugga stuff as well. I listened through the album entirely this morning. Danny is an incredible guitarist w/ an equally impressive tone. This album has an aggressive streak that I would have tried to reach in my own music and this aggressive side reminds me of the Treblemakers. Aggressive yet very melodic and focused with tight playing. The song writting is top notch. Very trad sounding but complex. This is the direction I wanted to Aquanauts to go in and again it's that spot the Treblemakers hit so well. Makes me want to buy a tank and a big Fender amp again. —"as he stepped into the stealthy night air... little did he know the fire escape was not there" https://www.facebook.com/reluctantaquanauts/ |
Joined: Mar 12, 2008 Posts: 1237 Bay Area |
Agreed. It's a fantastic album for sure. One of my favorites. Buy a tank, we need some more Reluctant Aquanauts. — |
Joined: Mar 13, 2009 Posts: 2364 Twin Cities, MN |
Excellent review! This album was my personal top pick for 2011. Such an amazing piece of music! I think I will listen to it again tonight |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3786 North Atlantic |
Agreed with all. One of my top albums of last year! Rev —Canadian Surf |
Joined: Mar 15, 2012 Posts: 105 San Antonio, Texas |
I know I'm a little late to the party on this one, but I just downloaded "It's about time" on iTunes a couple days ago, and have listened to the album about 10 times since. Holy cow, that is some amazing songwriting. Clair de Lune is amazing, just true enough to the original, while still taking on a life of its own. The tunes just flow so well while still being totally unpredictable. The harmonies are very modern, with a lot of doubly chromatically mediant relationships (roots of chords a tritone apart) which is one of the trademarks of the sound of modern american classical music (every John Williams score ever). I am going to stop myself before I go off on a music theory tangent, and I am just going to say, if you don't have this album, get it! —The Techtonics reverb nation page |
Joined: Sep 06, 2010 Posts: 133 |
Yup, same as me a few days ago. I blame "Brave New Surf". I was at a show several months ago and Jonpaul pretty much told me "You MUST buy this CD" when they were selling them. It turned out to be an expensive purchase as I've spent almost 10 times that buying more music from the included bands. Well, I guess that means "Brave New Surf" is doing its intended job. |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 10331 southern Michigan |
Johnny-O wrote:
EXACTLY its intended job!!! Thank you, Jonpaul, too! And completely with the above comments on the T-Men CD!! —Ivan Last edited: Jun 02, 2012 21:03:56 |
Joined: Sep 27, 2008 Posts: 1149 Damascus, Maryland |
^^^^^Pretty much everything said above. Damn.....what an incredible album. —Will "You're done, once you're a surfer you're done. You're in. It's like the mob or something. You're not getting out." - Kelly Slater |
Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 11041 Berkeley, CA |
Thanks Everyone! I'm glad you're finding the record worthy of more than one spin, that was our intent. Once you wrap your brain around the melodies a few times you can take in all the other craziness going on. If you haven't heard it yet, you can hear samples from it on CDBaby And by all means pick up Brave New Surf!!! (if you haven't already) —Danny Snyder Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF |
Joined: Jan 17, 2008 Posts: 2188 Atlanta, GA |
I still say that this is best album I bought last year... and I bought a LOT of good music!! —
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25492 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A. |
Johnny-O wrote:
That is awesome, Jeff(bigtikidude) |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 1223 |
So cool to hear all this great feedback! I think we've hit a real hot streak with the label. While I'm proud of everything we've put out over the years, I think if you pick up a selection of our recent releases, including the TomorrowMen, The Madeira, Frankie & The Poolboys and Brave New Surf, you'd be hard pressed to find any better examples of the current surf music scene. The difficult thing is moving forward, after putting out great releases like these! —Sean Surf CD's / Vinyl / Fanzines / DVD's |