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Hello,
This review of the Beyond the Sea comp just came out in Pipeline magazine. I
guess "Je T'aime" was virtually an instrumental already because it was in
French and you can't understand it.
Alan
Various - Beyond the Sea - CD
Cordelia Record CD040; UK 2005; 79 minutes
HYPERLINK
"BLOCKED::"www.cordelia-records.co.uk
"Back in the '60s popular instrumental groups such as The Ventures used to
record cover versions of the pop hits of the day. These days the pop charts
are full of records that badly need to be re-recorded. We should try and
catch up before it gets any worse." (Liner note to Beyond the Sea).
The front cover states "surf instrumental bands of the world fearlessly
extend their repertoire". Sadly not all these surf bands see the need for
reverb or tremoloed chords, so that's one hurdle to negotiate. After that
it's going to be a matter of how much each song means to you. Maybe you like
it too much to be able to take an instrumental version, or maybe you hate it
so much that the same applies. All I can do is offer my humble opinion on
what works for me.
My Favourite Things, surprisingly - yes. With a twin guitar lead and a third
guitar providing chords to a slowly swinging rhythm, it works very well.
Take On Me is saved by the heavy reverb on both guitars, Then He Kissed Me
by its great melody and Mexican Whistler by the arrangement.
Je T'aime has a head start through being virtually an instrumental in the
first place, and this is a serious performance. Lapping waves replace the,
er, vocal as reverb guitar takes the lead. Very tasteful. It's got nothing
to do with surf but The One I Love is a powefully heavy rock instrumental
with plenty of distortion and sustain on the lead guitar. Ditto Another
Brick In The Wall, plus its got some damped picking and tremoloed chords.
Alan Taylor
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