Release Date: June 26, 2025
Label: Independent
The NovaRays, a trio comprising John Ashfield on Fender Bass IV, Rob Jacobs on drums, and Lewis Bailey on guitar, showcase their individual and collective mastery in this band.
"West of Eureka” begins with the sound of a horse galloping away, then the music kicks in. The bass is powerful and upfront, with the guitar positioned in the background, which I found interesting —a kind of switch in positions you rarely see. The drums are tight and right there with the bass. They add some other sound effects to make it feel like you are starring in the latest Western. It is very panoramic, as it ends with the sound of a whip cracking, ‘Yee-haw!’ The next episode of Rawhide will begin after these messages…
“Space Hero” begins with a funky bass riff, as the drums join in
for the ride, and the guitar arrives with a touch of twang and reverb. This
time, the guitar’s volume is turned up for your pleasure. This is a combination
of rock and surf with an irresistible hook and beat. A nice tempo is held
consistently, and it’s a very tasteful ditty, I might say.
“Wooden Horse” is very melodic right out of the gate with some
skillful guitar playing. And that bass, oh my goodness, it is just excellent -
how strong and accurate it is. The drumming also receives praise for
consistently maintaining exceptional time. There is something about the melody
that sounds familiar to me, maybe something I heard years ago from Wishbone
Ash—a very steady track with some clever transitions.
“The Creeper” is a classic many folks are familiar with from the Ventures; however, this is an original. It has a Halloween feel to it, which
helps bring the subject matter to life. Well, after this is creepy, right? They
nail it down nicely with perfectly paced rhythms and some “cuts like a knife”
leads from the guitar for further emphasis. Well done!
“The Haunting of Bath House B” continues with our Halloween
theme. This time, it’s much more upbeat, with some killer guitar lines
accompanied by a throbbing bass and drums to carry it along. Some cool effects
kick in as the guitar enters full gallop mode, then it transitions back to the
leads, with the rhythm guitar following along, and finally, the epic,
resonating finish.
“Pink Slip” goes into hyperdrive immediately with some
lightning-fast guitar riffs. The bottom end is once again strong, as the guitar
is diverse and accentuated with front leads, as well as in the background. A
lot is going on in this track, and they pack it all into 3:03. I liked the
quick transitions and layered guitars, with one keeping the rhythm and the
other just ripping it (although they do that a lot on this album).
“Three Blue Stars” takes you back to the first wave of guitar
sounds, then transitions to a more prominent lead guitar, holding on to the
roots of surf instro. It’s a nostalgic journey, sounding very retro but crisp,
clean, and precise due to the use of good recording methods. The different
types of guitar sounds you would hear from a band in the heyday of the early
’60s are what you will be able to enjoy with this one!
“Phantom of the Jetties” gets you into the full reverb and twang
mode, but this time, spy sounds dominate the atmosphere. As the paint it out
with the guitar lines and rhythmic bass and drums, laying down that solid
foundation. The bass has a few standalone moments with some funky lines. It’s
the guitars that make this real for the spy vs. spy sounds—one of the best
tunes on the recording.
“Mr. Covington’s Wild Ride” wraps things up on the wild
instrumental ride. A spiffy guitar line kicks things into high gear with a
solid rhythm guitar chugging along, and the bass and drums doing their things
like they do. The guitar weaves its magic throughout with many transitions.
Almost three minutes of pure rock instrumental surfy greatness to close the
curtain on one hell of an album!
Another Date With The NovaRays is a date you will want to keep. This is a solid outing with a diverse array of tracks covering the gamut of surf instro and surf rock. They give you a taste of it all and a few looks back to where it all started to complete the circle. It’s an exciting journey that you wouldn’t want to miss.
Keith
“MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Surf Music and Art Reviews Founder
August
31, 2025
Tracks:
1. West of Eureka 02:57
2. Space Hero 02:44
3. Wooden Horse 02:31
4. The Creeper 04:10
5. The Haunting of Bath House B 02:36
6. Pink Slip 03:03
7. Three Blue Stars 02:29
8. Phantom of the Jetties 02:50
9. Mr. Covington's Wild Ride 02:58
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