10/22/2024
*** Colorado Instrumental Fanzine Music Review ***
The Cruncher – The Curl Rider CD (NPR Records)
Eighteen superbly selected cover songs clocking in at an impressive 48 minutes by The Cruncher (Herbert Hooke). Some of these tunes were originally surf music while others are surfed-out renditions from a variety of musical genres.
The CD commences with the title track, "The Curl Rider” by 80s icons, the Surf Raiders. It’s a well-played and fitting tribute to this legendary act. Four other tracks ride the surf wave of the 1960s: "Paradise Cove" by The Surfmen (1962), "The Last Surf" by The Duvals (1963), "Ventura" from The Super Stocks (1964), and "Asphalt Wipe Out" performed by The Good Guys (1964). All five of these tunes hit the mark in terms of honoring the legacy and adding skilled and valuable improvements for modern ears.
A few rockin’ tunes from 1959 you may recognize are Frankie Ford's "Sea Cruise," "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" by Buddy Holly, and "Tantrum" by B.B. Cunningham. These tunes are fun to listen to side-by-side with the originals. Later in the CD, he jumps forward a decade with a crisp rendition of "Hungry" (1969) by Link Wray. Eddie Angel covered this song in 2006. Curiously, Link later released this tune as “Hungry Child.”
Two other tunes under the “curious” heading are the country-western instrumental toe-tappers, "Uncle Bud's Twist" by Bud Settlemire and "Shotgun Rides Again" by Bob Burgos. Both of these tunes translate well into surf music and remind me of a ‘greasy’ trio from Oakland, CA. The third track, "Folaghe" (1978) by Italian composer, Fabrizio De André is remarkable; an unexpected delight. The final track, “La Comparsa” was a piano piece written by Cuban resident Ernesto Lecuona. This version captures the heart of the original while taking it in a fresh direction as a surf instrumental. Other artists that are covered include Duane Eddy, The Hondells, David Ede and the Go Man, Go Men, and even Fleetwood Mac. I sit in awe at how Herbert has noted the patterns that allow these songs to crossover into the surf and instrumental category.
This is a masterclass in surf music. Not only is the skill of Herbert’s musicianship on full display, but it shows how other genres are relatable to surf music. Die-hard surf fans will be thrilled by the guitar tone, reverb, and vintage sounds employed.
The cover art is a photograph of ‘The Legendary Wild Bob Burgos,’ over a backdrop of green and white smudges that approximate animal skin. Inside the booklet are images and descriptions of 12 recordings released under the moniker, The Cruncher. My eyes found the animal print to be a distraction when trying to read the text. However, don’t let this minor detail deter you from picking up a copy of this incredible CD.
More information can be found at http://thecruncher-reverb.de/
To purchase go to:
Leos Den in the UK
https://www.leosden.co.uk/shop/index.php
or
Bear Family in the EU
https://www.bear-family.com/
As reviewed in Colorado Instrumental Fanzine Issue 2
https://bit.ly/CIF_01-02
A Colorado-Based Fanzine Sharing Surf & Instrumental Music
