Great lost surf tunes
COMPUTERJAZZMAN | Cliffside Park, New Jersey United States | 08/08/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Richie Allen and the Pacific Surfers recorded two albums, The Rising Surf, and Surfer's Slide in 1962 and were released on Imperial Records. This was a studio band, using a lot of L.A. session guys like Plas Johnson, Sandy Nelson, and Tommy Tedesco. Richie Allen (Podolor) went on to be a big Record Producer in L.A. Sundazed Records has now released his two surf albums on CD, which are collector's items on vinyl."
Brings Back Days of Surf and Sun
Kurt Harding | Boerne TX | 02/16/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Though I had heard some of the songs on this CD before, I had not heard of Richie Allen and the Pacific Surfers until I read about them recently in a review in an English music magazine. That review pronounced this reissue a "must have" and "the greatest surf record ever". While those statements are debatable, the review was so unrelentingly positive that I put it on my list and picked it up while shopping a favorite Encinitas music store.
If you were young in coastal Southern California in the 60s, then you'll find that The Rising Surf brings back days filled with surf and sun. While the sound is definitely dated, it is so evocative of that time and place that entertainment value should overcome any qualms about the simplicity of the music. Though I enjoy the entire CD, my favorite cut is definitely The Quiet Surf, followed by Put It On and the famous Rumble. Only the silly Swanee River Twang detracts from the beach party ambience of the CD.
There are a lot of early surf bands that modern pundits proclaim as "the best" or "essential". I won't say this CD is either, because I haven't heard them all. But I will say that if you like the twang of surf guitar occasionally joined by a funky honking saxophone, then check out The Rising Surf. I give it three stars for music quality, but five stars for its entertainment value which makes it a solid four-star value overall."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1