Surf Instro Review: Desert Undertones - The Sentinel

Release Date: December 5, 2024

Label: Independent

Website

The Sentinel, Desert Undertones' inaugural full-length recording, is a unique blend of surf instrumentals that will immediately captivate you with its striking cover artwork.

Dylan Oldham (guitar), Christopher Marshall (bass), and Curt Pleiss (drums) are this terrific trio.

 

Desert Undertones' surf instro is a tasteful and predominantly laid-back experience. If you're seeking a challenging, rockin' vibe, this album may not be for you. However, if you're a fan of instrumental music, you'll find plenty to appreciate in its soothing melodies.

 

Every track except one lasts more than 2 minutes, and the other is slightly over 3 minutes (Moonlight Beach). For those unfamiliar with this genre, the standard track length is typically 2 minutes or longer.

 

"Black Eagle" starts with commentary that sounds like it was pulled from a movie. It is filled with great melody and rhythm (which I found is one of their strengths). It is an energized opener.

 

"Point Reyes" has a nice sound with some good guitar picking. It reminded me of a sunny day on the beach in Maine with a clear blue sky, a mild surf, and a cooling breeze.  This is the kind of music designed to evoke those images.

 

"China Bowl," I would guess, is a place in the Arizona desert where most of this band resides, but that's not the case; it's a ski resort in Colorado where their drummer resides. The glissando playing is exceptionally smooth and soothing on this track, like a soft snow-covered path down the peak of a mountain.

 

"Izumo" features a nice glissando section, continuing from the last track with a subtle drum and bass accompaniment that enhances the lead guitar lines.

 

"Sands Point" sounds like the desert! The band shifts to a more uplifting tempo with their soft touch. The drums add a constant beat, accompanied by cymbals, to make it all shimmer as they move from one transition to another, which I appreciated. It was one of my favorites.

 

"Signal Hill" is catchy right at the outset, and it grabs you. The rhythms are crisp and clear, featuring a superb guitar sound and notable changes throughout. The bass stands out.

 

"Tiswin" has an even tempo, and it's beneficial, as the drums use the cymbals to good effect once again. There are many components packed into this one.

 

"Moonlight Beach" brings back that fascinating glissando playing. This is the highlight of the recording. Also, the drummer uses the cymbals to significant effect again, which is key. Another one of my favorites!

 

"The Sentinel," being the title track, is important, of course. They step it up with the tempo to get your attention, yet do it tastefully. The guitar shines like a star in a clear night sky.

 

"Pavones" is a remote village on the south Pacific coast of Costa Rica, famous for its long left point break and lush rainforest attractions. To close out the album, it kicks things into high gear immediately. They become a bit heavier, indicating that they can loosen up and rock anytime if they want to, and continue to do it tastefully.

 

The Sentinel is a remarkable debut long player. With only 50 vinyl copies out of 100 remaining, it's set to become a coveted collector's item. Don't miss your chance to own a piece of music history-support Desert Undertones by purchasing the vinyl, downloading from Bandcamp, or ordering the CD.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Surf Music and Art Founder

July 7, 2025

Tracks:

01. Black Eagle 02:31

02. Point Reyes 02:55

03. China Bowl 02:32

04. Izumo 02:25

05. Sands Point 02:56

06. Signal Hill 02:16

07. Tiswin 03:09

08. Moonlight Beach 03:01

09. The Sentinel 02:48

10. Pavones 02:47

Surf-Rock Instrumental Review: White Sands-Self Titled EP

Release Date:   August 20, 2024

Label: White Sands/Nomad Eel Records

Website

The White Sands six-song EP is a dynamic combination of surf and rock from an excellent trio. The colorful artwork, featuring a spooky Halloween font and an alien abduction, serves as a good lead into the track titles you will encounter before listening. The cover reminded me of early sci-fi posters from 1950s movies. This is a cinema set to music.

As with any exceptional instrumental music in this genre, the EP is guitar-centric, with robust backing from the bass and drums. Across the six tracks, you can hear three musicians at the peak of their craft, delivering a performance that is sure to impress.

The EP is readily available for download on Bandcamp, ensuring easy accessibility to all music enthusiasts. For those who appreciate a more tangible experience, a limited cassette version is also available.

"The Black Cat Is Deathless" features strong rhythms (something that is a strength of their music). There are twangy, clear-cut leads that take on this spine-tingling adventure of the evil black cat. Some nice tremolo effects are inserted for that surfy feel, then some tight rockin' leads for more impact. The bass and drums are synced nicely to hold down the back end, which they consistently do throughout this recording.

"Cult of the Crab King" has a subtle drum opening and a heavy bass as the guitar comes in with its surf reverb vibes, making you "feel" the waves of sound as you picture this bizarre creature prodding along. The constant cymbals echo throughout as the drummer's other hand maintains the steady pulse to match the bass.

"Revenge of the Tikibots" starts like a shot out of a cannon with lots of reverb flying off the strings of the guitar. The guitar dominates their sound, as it should. The proper effect to match the track titles is accomplished by the tempos created. Some fast picking occurs for a short time, approaching a glissando sound as closely as possible. The drums and bass answer the call and pick up the pace, then a sudden finish.

"It Came From Hobbs" makes a grand entrance, showcasing the band's exceptional musicianship. The instrumentation kicks into high gear with immediate impact, and the various sections of music highlight the trio's superb skills. They certainly make a lot of noise for just three men, leaving the listener in awe of their talent.

The "Vampire Drug Party" begins with an eerie sound that fits the script of the vampire. This is a vampire on drugs, though, so I don't know how that would work out. Or maybe everyone at the party is drugged out, so it's easy picking for the bloodthirsty ghoul! Some rockin' surf leads and big drums and bass show their power as the lead guitar cuts through with its pinpoint notes. Now the atmosphere is set, and the time is right for the vampire to strike!

"Bamboo Forest" is just shy of 4 minutes, showing the band's exotica side of the equation. There is a cinematic entrance into the forest of mystery as the music's atmospheric sounds captivate your imagination, with the drummer's beats and well-placed leads from the guitar creating even more intrigue. The bass is meaty, adding more depth to the track. What lies around the corner of the maze of bamboo?

White Sands has crafted a captivating collection of tracks and made the most impact possible for a short EP release. Their sound can be complex and shifting; however, I found it highly entertaining and would look forward to a full-length album with more of the exotica elements mixed in.

The Players:

Chris V. – Guitars

Dustin Mortensen – Bass

Brian Burton – Drums

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Surf Music and Art Founder

July 3, 2025

Tracks:

1. The Black Cat Is Deathless 03:42

2. Cult of the Crab King 02:53

3. Revenge of the Tikibots 02:15

4. It Came From Hobbs 02:58

5. Vampire Drug Party 02:41

6. Bamboo Forest 03:58

Surf Instro-Garage Rock Review: Monster Party 2000 - Various Artists

What did you dress up as this Halloween? Did you have enough candy for all the groveling rugrats? None of it matters if you had Monster Party 2000 blaring out into the street. This CD is eerie, scary, and cool all wrapped into one package. Look no further than MuSick Recordings to make every Halloween a real party.

MuSick Recordings, known for its selective approach, doesn’t flood the market with music. Instead, they carefully curate their releases, ensuring that each one is a unique and special addition to your collection.

Some of the best instrumental, garage, and instro artists are gathered together on this CD, offering a diverse range of music styles. From reverb excitement that makes your blood curdle to howling speakers, this CD promises a musical journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I guarantee you will be the hippest house on the block if you play this music while the pumpkin is all aglow with its fiendish smile, beckoning the wary to approach your haunted house.

This is no trick, it’s a treat, and it rocks. This bag of treats is jock full of surf-instro, garage, punk, and good old rock and roll to make your party the best in town. Some of the guests are The Boss Martians, known for their high-energy surf rock; The Space Cossacks, masters of instrumental rock; Satan’s Pilgrims, a surf rock band with a spooky twist; Hypnomen, a garage rock-surf-pysch sensation; and Los Straightjackets, a band that combines surf rock with Mexican influences! ...All of the heavy hitters.

This is not just music for a season, my friends, this is kick-ass music that's perfect for any time of year. So, whether it's Halloween, a summer barbecue, or just a regular day when you need a pick-me-up, grab your makeup, costumes, and masks (if necessary) and let’s rock! How can you go wrong when you start the party with the Munsters’ theme?

This was a lot of fun, and that’s what it’s all about. This kind of graveyard bash gets you loosened up right from the start. Let your hair hang down, get down and get weird, and enjoy this ghoulish platter.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

November 20, 2000

Tracks:

01. Welcome To The Party   

02. Frankenstomp-Satan’s Pilgrims   

03. Have You Ever Seen...?-The Boss Martians   

04. Transylvanian Orbit-The Space Cossacks

05. Frankie’s Groovy Monster Boots-Eddie Angel & The Omega Men   

06. Dracula’s Deuce-Freddy Fortune & The Four-Gone Conclusions

07. The Goon-Bleed     

08. Theme From “Young Frakenstien”-The Madeira    

09. Ghosts From Boot Hill-The Hellbenders  

10. Nosferatu-The 3-D Invisibles

11. The Pendulum-Hypnomen     

12. Daddy Long Legs-The Tiki Tones    

13. (Theme From) Slaying Beauty-Bambi Molesters   

14. Billy’s Dead-Deadbolt

15. Evil Walks In-Fifty Foot Combo   

16. El Monster Surfin’ Time    

17. Already Dead-Electric Frankenstein    

18. Roadside Cross-Cobrajets

19. Rockula-Los Straightjackets    

20. Dracula’s Daughter-The Woggles   

21. It’s The Mummy-The Chimps

22. Theme From “Young Frankenstein” (Reprise)-Madeira