THE BANZAI REBELS
Surf Panic b/w Curse of the Red Baron (single) (R.I.P)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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Instro surf vet Mark Brodie is back with The Banzai Rebels on this lo-fi 45 that could fool all but the true completist collectors of 60s surf into thinking they've unearthed a relic of the past. The spirit and styles of both songs, the quirky, fun "Curse of the Red Baron" and the more traditional A-side, "Surf Panic," evoke that era convincingly, but they're Brodie's inventions. Plenty of bands continue to take surf in new directions, and we love 'em for it, but I can't think of too many making what I'd call 99% authentic 60s records. This trio makes it work with catchy melodies, solid backing by Jimmy Sutherland (drums) and Yasuhiro Nakatsuka (bass) and reverb-submerged rocking of guitarist Brodie. Definitely one to check-mark for your surf collection.

© 2004 - DJ Johnson