Surf Instro Vinyl Review: King Pelican with Chris Barfield - Vaquero/Mirage

Release Date:  February 28, 2025

Label: Western Satellite Music

This Limited edition 45 release is on 7” black vinyl with colorful, stimulating sleeve artwork.

A big thanks to Matthew Clark, the creator of Colorado Instrumental Fanzine, for providing a copy of the zine with the record and a great interview with Ernest Hernandez of King Pelican.

 

“Vaquero” has a nice, clear sound with plenty of rhythm. The guitars are the highlight, backed by excellent accompaniment from the bass and drums.

 

The sound is retro and new, all at the same time. The backing rhythms keep your toes tapping while the lead takes you away to instrumental surf nirvana. The lead guitar cuts through and leads the way, while all the elements are still present, yet in a supporting role, for those stinging, surfy leads.

 

The sweeping sounds and atmospheric tones are memorable. It is an excellent track!

 

“Mirage” is depicted colorfully on the artwork sleeve with the cowboy surfer watching the setting sun in the desert. The band’s leader, Ernest Hernandez, is from the great southwest, Texas.

 

The track takes a decidedly different turn in sound, beginning with atmospheric effects and well-placed soft leads before the entire band breaks out into a more upbeat sound. The rhythm section comes through again to get those juices flowing.

This music has its complexities, and it becomes evident once the entire band joins in. The smooth flow and sound reminded me of some Shadows music I have heard over the years.

 

The lead guitar is outstanding with catchy hooks and that echoing reverb we all love to hear on surf instros. The crescendo of music is sweet ear candy that you want to spin again.

 

King Pelican, featuring Chris Barfield, has released two great tracks.

 

As is often the case with releases of this type, there are limited copies available. Please give it a listen and grab your copy to support this work and add another piece of surf instro vinyl to your collection.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Surf Music And Art Reviews Founder

June 28, 2025

The Players:

Chris Barfield: Guitar

Ernest Hernandez: Guitar

Darren Kuper: Drums

Kris Zebrowski: Bass

Surf Instro - Rock Review : An Evening In Nirvam - The Music Of The Shadows

The Shadows finally receive their due with an awe-inspiring tribute CD, An Evening In Nirvam The Music Of The Shadows, put together by the reigning king of surf-instro labels, MuSick Recordings. The label is known for its dedication to preserving and promoting the surf-instro genre, and has curated this exceptional tribute to The Shadows.

Besides The Ventures, The Shadows stand as one of the most influential groups of the 1950s and 1960s. The successes of a vast array of artists who have gone on to stardom are owed to Hank Marvin and his friends. The fact that so many people picked up an electric guitar after listening to a Shadows record is a testament to their profound impact on the music industry.

Despite its release a few years ago, this tribute CD remains a cornerstone of the surf-instro genre. It features some of the finest tracks handpicked from The Shadows' repertoire, a testament to their enduring influence. From The Omega Men to Satan's Pilgrims, the tracks have been handled with utmost care, preserving the timeless quality of The Shadows' music.

The Shadows, a group that has long been overdue for recognition on this level, finally receives its due with this tribute CD. All the participating groups are at the forefront of the instro scene and understand the pivotal role this music played in shaping the surf genre that blossomed in the sixties.

This release was timed perfectly, as the third wave of surf-instro —a modern resurgence of the genre —has taken hold of the world and continues to grow and fascinate us all with its vibrant music, characters, and culture.

An Evening in Nirvam: The Music Of The Shadows is sixteen tracks of instrumental gold interpreted by the young and restless youth who strived for the classic Hank Marvin sounds. It's not the same as the original, but it was all done very well. Hell, I listened to this CD three times before I finally sat down to write about it! It's wonderful.

It is one of the best instrumental discs released in the last decade.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

August 2000

Tracks:

01. Main Theme-The Omega Men 

02. Apache-The Falcons 

03. Gonzlaes-The Hunington Cads

04. Atlantis-The Aqua Velvets

05. Man Of Mystery-The Fathoms 

06. The Savage-The Space Cossacks 

07. Don't It Make You Feel Good-The Boss Martians 

08. The Lute Number-The Troubadours

09. Evening Comes-The Alohas 

10. Tomorrow's Cancelled-The Tiki Tones 

11. Tales Of A Raggy Tramline-Davie Allan & The Arrows 8

12. Maroc 7-The Travelers Of Tyme 

13. The Rise And Fall Of Flingel Bunt-Satan's Pilgrims

14. Zambesi-The Deoras 

15. Theme For Young Lovers-Teisco Del Rey 

16.  Back Home-Jim Mankey 

Surf Instro Track Review: The Outback Surf Squad - Spy Chaser

The Outback Surf Squad, known for their unique sound, is back with another single release titled "Spy Chaser."

Jamie Balcombe, the mastermind behind the band's signature sound, plays lead and rhythm guitars and handles special effects.

Jason Deatherage (The Surf Hermits) plays lead and rhythm guitars, bass, and drums and handles production and special effects.

With a title like "Spy Chaser," the music is a high-octane thrill ride, featuring explosive guitars that evoke the adrenaline of a spy thriller.

This is what I have come to expect from Jamie with his track releases. There is always a great deal of excitement and a multitude of things happening in his music.

Look no further than down under for some classic surf rock with today's clean and clear production elements, courtesy of the masters of surf instro, The Outback Surf Squad.

Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

June 28, 2025

Dodge City Social Club · Spy Chaser