There is no surfing on Lake Shartash. Only stupid peasants dip their ill-fated larvae into the ice hole. There is surfing off the coast of California. There, boys who do not know sheepskin coats dip boards into the sea, which prudent housewives would find a better use for. The wind is humming to the Shartash peasants, rustling snowflakes, and surf rock is accompanying the California boarders. But both of them, as well as housewives and even maggots, have a bit of Elvis in them. So says Mojo Nixon, the Zarathustra of satirical rock and roll.
Another thing is England, where there is no ice fishing, no swimming plywood, but Alice and Pudding. The local independent label Sharawaji specializes in surf rock, and recently a piece of Elvis made itself felt, and therefore a compilation album dedicated to the King was released on the label, whose songs were interpreted here in the surf key by teams from all over the world. The witty name of the collection is Sea Sea Rider. Saddle up your boards, Sea Dogs, a wave of sound is coming!
The Terrorsurfs – Little Sister: Formerly known as The Terrorsaurs, the British have taken on perhaps the most genre-friendly song, making the bass more powerful and replacing the vocal line with a distinctive bubbling guitar. The backup songs have been transferred here from the original. Aggressively and maliciously.
The Leonites – I Got Lucky: A quintet from Leipzig, claiming to have played on Baikonur, decided on one of the frivolous cinematic gizmos by staging the outspoken The Shadows, flavored with an electric organ. Carefree, like a light breeze in the Kazakh steppe.
The ChuGuysters – A Little Less Conversation: the horror-punk surf band from Khmelnitsky begins deceptively with a traditional shake in order to accelerate after a couple of bars. Ghoul keys are responsible for horror. Considering that the charm of the Elvis version was in a certain soul-funkiness, its choice for reinterpretation is not obvious, innovation replaces drive.
The Anagrams – Flaming Star: Finns ride a cowboy ballad from the cowboy movie of the same name. Horses and stetsons dance a twist with a hint of lettuce.
Terreur Twist – Adam And Evil: among the recordings for the King’s films, there were often genuine diamonds. Here, the French cut reveals the anxiety and doom carefully hidden in the original arrangement. Minus: an imbalance in the recording of drums, where tom-toms lose in sound level to small ones, although the party is built on them.
Taner Öngür & 43.75 – I’m Comin’ Home: non-committal easy listening from the Turkish coast, from where the Ottoman pop, dearly loved by tourists of Balzacian behavior, is heard more often. Playing Presley in every note, it’s still nice to listen.
Surf Zombies – Burning Love: It looks like the series don’t lie, and it’s been a satisfying year for Iowa zombies. Therefore, here is a kind and toothless dance for children’s matinees.
SRI – Blue Moon: an unpleasant abbreviation stands for Surf Rock in Poland. From moha to moha. The song, which seems impossible to spoil, is provided with a gently croaking saxophone. Mentally.
Magnatech – (Marie’s The Name Of) His Latest Flame: one of the best numbers from Elvis Presley’s repertoire is performed by the Irish with skill and reverence. Beautiful atmospheric sound.
Los Reverb – It’s Now Or Never: It is unknown whether the cartoon “Nu Pogodi!” is known in Uruguay, or whether the Atlantic waters brought a languid ballad from Naples itself, but here it is. Not a single chord was lost on the way.
Los Dedos – Crawfish: the inhabitants of Albion with the mysterious name “Fingers” play a mysterious work about crayfish. Thick fumes of peyote and Tarantino’s mug on the periphery of vision. A subtle refreshing cocktail.
Los Derrumbes – Viva Las Vegas: these sons of Spain play unexpectedly fast, forgetting about siesta and castanets. Such licentiousness is not good for the future, slipping into a parody.
King Beez – Hound Dog: The Canadians take a solid mid-tempo, the guitar is moderately heavy, the keys are bluesy and iridescent. It is heard that the guys are catching waves not on boards, but on axes. One of the best things.
Kent Wennmann RQ feat. Ulf Holmberg – Surrender: getting into the mood, rhythm and courage very accurately, the Swedes reproduce the dark passion of the original source and rush on with their dragon-shaped surfers. The favorites of our regatta.
Frogman – C. C. Rider: two thirds of old acquaintances from Moscow Beatballs with a different drummer listen to the main opener of the Vegas concerts of Elvis of the seventies. The guitarist famously blows off for the whole brass band, the rhythm section beats the village two-step. The boys are fine, Mom.
Dr. Frankenstein – Frankfurt Special: The Portuguese turned a meaningless song from the time of Demob Presley into an absolutely stupid rollicking one. They dance to such monsters without any galvanism.
Beatmakers feat. Martin Cilia – My Happiness: Finnish conquerors of the Baltic surf with an Australian on lead guitar lovingly play the very lyric that the future King of rock and Roll recorded for his mother in 1953. Drum brushes rustle on the coastal pebbles. The right mood for the sun drowning in the ocean.
Buy a collection for $10 and support the musicians:
https://sharawaji.bandcamp.com/album/sea-sea-rider
Undoubtedly, this compilation will be a great start to any party, and a pleasant unobtrusive companion for a lonely surfer. Even the weakest moments caress the mind and ear, and five or six numbers are quite close to the highest standards of reading and accompaniment. Somewhere out there, the King is grinning approvingly. We’re leaving with the tide, Sea Dogs!
