The lo-fi standard of rock 'n' roll in the '50s and most of the '60s allowed anybody with a combo and garage to make music; the plethora of rockabilly, early punk, and exotica compilations to come out in the last decade attests to the rampant music making going on at the time. The world of surf music was no different, as bands inspired by
Dick Dale and
the Beach Boys flourished in the early '60s. The Satan label's Get A Board spotlights the obscure side of the genre and includes both instrumentals and vocal numbers. Highlights include straight-ahead surf tunes like the Toads' "Morpheus,"
Arlen Sanders'car manual narrative "Hopped Up Mustang" (replete with drag race samples), and girl-group entries by the Surf Bunnies and
Susan Lynne. Proto-punk intensity is supplied by Bob Moore and The Temps on their distortion-riddled basher "Trophy Run," while the Pygmies contribute a bit of Las Vegas-grind camp on their "Don't Monkey With Tarzan."This is an excellent and generous collection (29 tracks); one best suited for those who don't mind a rough production aesthetic, and who are interested in exploring the wealth of obscure surf music out there. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide
