Album Notes

The Plungers are a 7 piece surf instrumental group featuring
3 guitars, bass, 6 string bass, and electric baritone and 12
string guitars. The songs are all original. The bands main
influences are The Ventures, The Astronauts, and Link Wray.

VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE REVIEW

The Plungers have to rank as the most prolific band on the surf scene, releasing two CDs of killer originals in 2003. And as good as Land of a Thousand Surf Guitars was, it's followup, Guitars Gone Wild, ups the ante, with 21 instrumentals - each more evocative than the one before. Not an easy feat. The septet (which grew out of a University of Oklahoma combo called The Sperm Counts, who dressed up in Dracula outfits) features dual lead guitars, rhythm guitar , bass, Fender bass VI, baritone (sometimes
electric 12 string) and drums. This multi-layered approach sets The Plungers apart from any instro-surf band on the scene today , or probably ever.
The staccato, reverb-drenched "Takin' The Plunge" is reminiscent of the Astronauts, while "Ridin' Tall" sounds like vintage Shadows, and you can guess the influence behind "Link". "Spring Break" (you've got to love a band that names songs after its outboard reverb tank) exhibits the type of melodic sense that marks ex-Belair Paul Johnson's recent solo work. And the swirling "Mondo A Go Go" is as intricate as anything by Laika & The Cosmonauts.
The songs are all group collaborations, and the members also shared production duties. Amazingly, with everything that's going on (with additional percussion on most tracks and Terry "Buffalo" Ware's slide for good measure on "Surfcracker") the sound never turns to mud. - Dan Forte (all rights reserved)