INSECT SURFERS
Mojave Reef (Marlin)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

---

Along with Pollo Del Mar, The Mermen and a small handful of other bands, Insect Surfers take a heavier approach to their instrumental surf music. Of course, Dave Arnson and company have been at it longer than the others, having started his band in Washington D.C. in 1979. They've never disbanded, though there have been a few players in and out over the years, and today they sound exactly like a band with that many years of experience and maturity. They manage to make a track heavy while keeping it melodic and somehow buoyant. I'm sure they'll hate this, but I've always thought of them as the Blue Oyster Cult of surf, but I mean it as a hell of a compliment. A song like "Nomad" could be just another surf tune in other hands, but it has a mysterious quality, a foreboding and a forlorn feeling to the distant lead guitar that takes it a different direction. The musicianship has only improved within Insect Surfers and the songwriting has done likewise. With music of this quality coming out 24 years into their career, one wonders if this band even has a pull date. I say keep the music comin'.

© 2003 - DJ Johnson