Taken from a bunch of quickie hot rod instrumental LPs that appeared on Del-Fi in the early '60s, there's actually some pretty hot picking to be found on these sides by
the Deuce Coupes,
De Fenders, and
Darts. And there's some historical interest attached to these tracks as well, though the principals may have all but forgotten these skeletons from their closets.
The Deuce Coupes feature the guitars of
Pat and
Lolly Vegas, who would found
Redbone in the 1970s;
the De Fenders spotlight session guitarist
Tommy Tedesco, one of the top L.A. players of the time (who appears on discs by
Phil Spector,
the Beach Boys,
Jan & Dean, and others). Even more surprising is the discovery that the guitarist on the tracks credited to
the Darts is none other than
Glen Campbell; his whiplash-snappy, concise solos on "Top Eliminator" forever enshrine his rock & roll credentials, whatever you might think of "Gentle on My Mind." The compilation is rounded out by cuts from the Roadstars,
the Venturas (Western movie theme-influenced surf), and
Opus 1's strange "Back Seat 38 Dodge," where hot rod music meets psychedelia. The disc isn't at the top of the pile for surf and hot rod instrumentals, but if you just want a typically roaring good blast of the genre, it frequently delivers the goods. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
