Surf Zombies: Lust For Rust (Deep Eddy Records)

When you listen to "Third Stone From The Sun" you can hear Jimi Hendrix say "You'll never hear surf music again". And even though Jimi wasn't slamming on surf music (Hendrix said that he was paying tribute to Dick Dale who he had mistakenly heard had died) the fact is that Jimi is as dead as a doorknob and surf music is still around. So much so that even the state of Iowa, where the surfing is a little sparse, has their very own surf band.

I have to admit that when I first heard these guys I didn't care for 'em. For some reason there are a few records out there that when I first hear them I can barely scrape up a feeling of indifference and I'll write the thing off as a turd; and then I'll come back to the record play it a couple of more times and then realize that I like the thing and all he things I thought about it before are completely wrong. I've had this happen with stuff by the Nomads, the Modern Lovers, and even the Velvet Underground. I think Lester Bangs said he hated the Stooges Fun House when he first heard it and then went on to champion the record,  so what the heck.

Anyway the same thing happened here with this record. I didn't like it and had written it off as trite, substandard, blah blah blah. I listened to it a second time and really wasn't moved much. I decided to listen to it a third time before writing this review and BAM! I got it. This is good stuff. I really dig it. The Surf Zombies conjure up the spirit of the open road, surf, cool tiki, hot rod kulture, b-monster movies, and ice cold beer. Ive read some reviews that drop the obvious comparisons to the Ventures. To me these guys remind me somewhat of the Shadows; and if you wanna be nitpicky about it the Shadows ain't necessarily a surf band per say, but they do tread the same kind of ground. There's even bits and pieces of spaghetti western here.

Heck man, if these guys had a fan club I'd probably join it. Put this on the playlist at your next backyard BBQ. It goes good with frosty brew, rum and fruit juice, and roasted pig. And do I really have to tell ya to PLAY IT LOUD.