Desert Center

Portland surf band with their third record. They're now up to four members, and some members of the band have left the city, but they're sticking with their formula of mixing straight-ahead surf instrumentals with classic soul/rock sounds. This alternates track-by-track, so check the listing to see if you're getting an instrumental or not. FCC clean.

RIYL: Ventures, Link Wray, Shannon and the Clams, Shadowy Men from a Shadowy Planet, Timber Timbre

1. (3:06) ******* Wonderfully twangy, reverby, spright and playful classic surf instrumental, wafting in tropical tones.
2. (4:28) ***** Emotional carolina '60s beach prom plea, "don't neglect that girl"... blue-eyed and stately weeper with surfy strum and insistent drums
3. (2:58) **** Loopy jaw-harpy surf guitar instrumental, sun-scalded and vulgar-toned
4. (1:46) *** Raspy rockabilly vox, triumphant diner driveway reverie
5. (0:31) Short interlude. Some drunk saying "Happy halloween" and laughing
6. (3:02) **** Spooky surf instrumental through low-hanging tree branches, some quavering otherworldly moog sounds
7. (3:52) ***** Prom music, blue-eyed singer belts: "Don't blame me"... slow, sensous surf band is letting him bleed with emotion on stage. Gets fuzzy near end, fake-out
8. (3:15) **** Instrumental, double-super quick, devilish quickfooting with western movie woah-woah-woah effects
9. (2:50) ***** Rodeo uptempo number, '50s teenybopper in a tornado of drums
10. (0:38) Short interlude, old movie, posh speaker drops Australian terms
11. (2:36) ***** Midtempo surf instrumental, ironic and knowing melody line. Playful and galloping