Album Notes

PHIL DIRT / REVERB CENTRAL

The Sidemen - Go Too Far!

Wow! What a cool release from the Sidemen! Really good playing and superb production display a great band at full bore. Highly recommended!

Picks: Soho, Sledge Hammer Theme, Gibraleon, Red Hot Rod, Havanna, Mr. Moto, Astoria, Kingston A Go-Go, The Persuaders, Cannon Beach, Peligro, Walk Don"t Run, Night Boat, Bobby Fuller Medley, Jamboo!, Trans Siberia, Praia Verde, The Brawl

Soho (*****)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
Moody guitar and bass and creepy pick slides give "Soho" a haunted spy sound that"s compelling and full. Rich texture and drama via big whammy chords complete the picture. The drums demand ams from your attention trove. Very cool!

Sledge Hammer Theme (*****)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
This is a tuff track with a great beat and bass line supporting round double picked lines and spy vs. surfer dueling guitars. Rich and full bodied, "Sledge Hammer Theme" is a masterpiece of pace and interplay.

Gibraleon (****)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
Slightly dissonant, "Gibraleon" is also adventurous. It portrays a kind of island scene where things are not what they seem. Danger lurks, but is obscured by the kind of swimming chords that the Deep End used in "The Sheik Of Hips." Very cool!

Red Hot Rod (*****)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
This is pretty pure surf, with tremolo chords and a very fine lead pattern. "Red Hot Rod" is the kind of AABA structure that classic surf used, but s also significantly more complex. A great track with lot"s to like.

Havanna (***)
Surf Instrumental (stereo)
"Havanna" is slow and sad, with a haunted organ and great drums. The sound sets up an emotional rhythm and sense of a better day tomorrow. Quite pretty.

Mr. Moto (*****)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
This is a richly reverbed take on "Mr. Moto" with particularly interesting and original second guitar single-note muted instead of playing chords. It gives Paul Johnson"s masterpiece a whole new feeling. Very cool!

Astoria (*****)
Surf Instrumental (stereo)
The tribal drums and bass writhe under a moody melody line in a very infectious way. "Astoria" is a splendid track with great imagery and wonderful tone. It"s the kind of track that makes you move, and fits perfectly with a topdown drive on a coastal highway on an early morning surf patrol. Wonderful!

Kingston A Go-Go (***)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
Organ and a stylish melody in an island Shadows general direction creates a splendid sound. The organ takes the break and the guitars pumps out a gentle ska backdrop. Quite a nice track.

The Persuaders (*****)
Surf Instrumental (stereo)
The The Sidemen"s superb sound and writing are well suited for this spy meets the curl epic. This thoroughly engaging track is a marvelous blend of sounds, and features great rolling drums. Superb!

Cannon Beach (****)
Surf Instrumental (stereo)
More of a rock instro than surf, yet with very surfable tone, "Cannon Beach" is a happy song with a sunny disposition. It undulates and rolls and invites you down the to the beach below the cliffs where the tubes run a constant left hook. This is not the Surf Trio song.

Peligro (*****)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
The opening is an interesting exercise in syncopation between the drums and guitars, while the song is a charming and richly reverbed excursion into distant lands. The bridge reminds me of "Comin" Home Baby" slightly. A very cool track!

Walk Don"t Run (****)
Surf Instrumental (stereo)
This is quite interesting. The arrangement combines the Ventures" 1960 and 1964 arrangements very effectively. Dry tone, exceptional playing, and simple listening pleasure. great drums, solid bass, and very good guitar work.

Night Boat (*****)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
Good grief, "Night Boat" is original and very cool! Kind goofy and distant, drenched in muted notes and surf whammy chords, with a very endearing melody line. You can imagine monsters lurking in a damp dungeon, but only in a campy black and white. Too cool!

Bobby Fuller Medley (****)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
The Sidemen play two of Bobby Fuller & The Fanatics" classics, "Our Favorite Martian" and "Wolfman." Both are done superbly. What more need be said!

Jamboo! (***)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
"Jamboo!" is a circular rockabilly guitar boogie with reverb. Very pumped up and fun.

Trans Siberia (*****)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
Goodness, this is very cool. The dueling guitars share lead and rhythm pattern duties to great effect. This is a unique and raucous number with a very catchy sound. "S" is a superb track one heck of a hook!

Praia Verde (***)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
"Praia Verde" seems a little serious, perhaps self conscious. However, the delicate double picked lines are very Spanish coastal, and the surf elements very pleasing. The best part are the relentlessly rolling drums!

The Brawl (***)
Surf Instrumental (Stereo)
Grode live sound puts you right in that dump where the sound sucks, but the bands rock. You"ve been there. The crowd is loving it!