CD REVIEW
By Greg Wallace
Independent Music Reviews
Indianapolis, IndianaBy Phil Dirt Reverb Central
Music Reviews
PO Box 7240, Santa Cruz, CA 95061-7240 USABy Tom Hinders
WOBC 91.5-Tsunami SoulBy Leif Skartland Sr.
Independent Music Reviewer.
BEACH & GUITAR
Surf and Hawaiian Style
By Tim Coffman
© 2004 Rolltop Records
Greg Wallace-Independent Music Reviews
Indianapolis, Indiana
When I left my 30-year home of San Diego with my Midwestern bride a few years ago, I had little idea how much my life had been given form and shape by the beach – just as C. S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity how a fish has no concept of “wet.”
Well, Lord knows I’ve tried, but all these years later and despite my half-hearted best efforts, it’s still pretty obvious that, I’m “not from around these parts,” as one kind-hearted observer once helpfully pointed out to me.
Small wonder, though. I guess Sherlock’s first clue could have been my bleached blonde hair, Pacific Beach Lifeguard T-shirt, well-worn harachi sandals, or maybe even my language sprinkled liberally with “dude”, “boss”, “gnarly”, and the like. I’m thinking, though, that the biggest giveaway was Tim Coffman’s latest effort, Beach & Guitar, blazing from my car stereo.
A little history here: Over the past two decades or so, Tim Coffman has earned a well-deserved reputation as the heart and mind of San Diego-based Rolltop Records, bringing out the very best in the numerous artists who he has produced at Rolltop Studio.
However, it wasn’t until the 2002 release of Coffman’s delightfully retro This is Fun, that the producer/musician had the opportunity to give life to some of his own music. That was followed in 2003 with the internationally-flavored and equally compelling Nonstop to Paris.
This brings us to Beach & Guitar, a collection of original tunes penned by Coffman that virtually shimmer in the hot sun and sand of Southern California and Hawaii. An outstanding effort that is, in Coffman’s words, “a product of everything I’ve ever heard.” The album brings together some outstanding musicians familiar to those who know Coffman’s earlier work, as well as an ace or two uniquely suited to this specific project.
Most notably, surf guitar ace and legend Paul Johnson (Belairs, Surfaris, Duotones) and the incomparable Hawaiian steel guitarist Greg Sardinha bring instant credibility to Beach & Guitar. In an unexpected and pleasant surprise, making a guest appearance is veteran drummer Dave Raven (Surfaris, Swirling Eddies, ad infinitum).
A track-by-track review follows.
Ode to My VW Bus
Having once owned a ’72 VW camper bus, I was immediately drawn to this tune before I even heard it. Upon hearing it for the first of many, many times, I’m convinced this evocative little paean to beach transportation represents everything right about this genre of music. This many years later, I need only to close my eyes when listening to this tune and I’m transported back to “Rails,” a favorite haunt close to the San Onofre nuclear power plant in southern California. Warm water and consistently great waves. This is the first of three flat-out Paul Johnson rave-ups here and it sets the tone for much of the first “side” of the album.
Surfer Strut
All the way through this engaging little piece featuring Johnson and Anthony Da Luz (Robert Vaughn and the Shadows) on guitars, I had something else playing in the back of my mind. There’s a persistent riff through much of the song that, when complimented by Coffman’s background vocals, makes perfect sense to me. Before the tune was over, it came to me: the vibe reminds me of former Eagle guitarist Don Felder’s riff in “Heavy Metal.”
Jungle Wave
Paul Johnson makes his third and final appearance on Beach & Guitar in this vintage rave-up deeply reminiscent of The Ventures classic “Walk Don’t Run.” Dave Raven drives the tempo relentlessly and leaves little room for breathing until the song fades in the stereo. I never believed surf music needed to apologize for anything. This little tune is why. Oh, and by the way, Coffman penned these first three tunes about 10 years ago and shelved them, knowing the time would come when they would be heard. They haven’t aged a day.
Spy Glass
This is pretty much a transitional tune, though it takes a few more cuts before the album reveals its new direction. Tony Patler’s keys and Da Luz’s guitar work (again) set the tone for things. Consistently clean cymbal work and a strong right foot from Duncan Moore keep this tune in a wonderfully modest but infectious bossa nova groove.
Tow-In
Fast and fun. Layering guitars over the steady rhythm section of Coffman and Raven, this stripped-down-and-built-for-speed studio rave-up features some great tremelo work from Da Luz highly reminiscent of the best guitarists of the genre.
E-Z Riders
This is the sort of stuff spaghetti western score composer Hugh Montenegro would have done had he been fortunate enough to have been raised in Southern California. Guitarist Anthony Da Luz is complemented by subtle but critical lap steel work from Jack Butler (Private Domain). One of my personal favorites on the album.
Ka Hula O N`a Niu (The Dance of the Palm Trees)
The introduction of Hawaiian steel guitarist Greg Sardinha– first heard on Coffman’s This is Fun – to the mix on this track marks a pronounced step into the hybrid mix of Southern California surf music and traditional Hawaiian music. If Beach & Guitar were vinyl, this delightful track would be the lead off on the ‘B’ side. And throughout the song (and indeed, every track on which he’s featured), Sardinha skillfully and beautifully shows off the incredible dynamic range of the steel guitar.
Fresh Roses II
This track was something of a surprise to hear. The original version, first heard on This is Fun, left little room for improvement. In fact, remixes are very much like obligatory sequels to movies. Frequently not as good and pretty much made simply to cash in on the success of the original. That dubious observation now off my chest, this track works largely to saxophonist John Rekevics (Natalie Cole, Randy Newman), who is simply all over this thing. The unusual combination of Rekevics’ sax and Sardinha on Hawaiian steel makes this effort at once unique and highly listenable.
Waikiki Two-Step
For a country-western surf punk like me, “…Two-Step” is a listening lesson in the unmistakable linkage between Hawaiian music and legitimate country-western. And not just because of Sardinha’s dominating presence on the track. C-W is huge in the Islands. This delightful track pays genuine homage to that influence once the new listener gets past the jarring title of the tune.
Sunset at Waikiki
In every CD you own there’s one favorite track, right? One tune that for some reason is lodged firmly in your frontal lobes and serves almost as a theme song for you when you’re driving down Hwy. 101 or sitting on the front porch with that first cup of morning coffee. For me, this is it. Far and away the most gorgeous and lushly produced track on Beach & Guitar, this peaceful and visually compelling work immediately conjures up images of my childhood days in the Hawaiian Islands.
Last Set
The title is predictable, given its placement on the album, but this richly textured track is anything but an afterthought. Thanks to Coffmans’s determined and well-balanced production work and their collective sense of direction, Sardinha and Da Luz manage to breathe the heart and soul of the surf music atmosphere. A close runner-up to “Sunset at Waikiki” as a tune that wonderfully captures the ethos of the surf world.
BEACH & GUITAR
Surf and Hawaiian Style
© 2004 Rolltop RecordsPhil Dirt Reverb Central
PO Box 7240, Santa Cruz, CA 95061-7240 USA
Tim Coffman - Beach and Guitar - Surf and Hawaiian Style
Label: Rolltop Records 812-D CD
If you're looking for genuine surf, this isn't it. If you'd like something that suggests surf in a very well done Hawaiian vacation mode, then this just might be for you. Not surf music per say, but like the kind of song that might have worked its way onto a surf video soundtrack where the evening finds the characters romancing among the palms.
Picks: Jungle Wave, Spy Glass, Tow-In, Sunset At Waikiki
"Ode To My VW Bus"
Funky wah wah initializes a rock instro with a surfer's sense about it. "Ode To My VW Bus" is a fluid song with an enjoyable sound and slight bite. Perhaps more island blues than surf.
Surfer's Rock Instrumental Stereo
"Surfer Strut"
"Surfer Strut" is a moderately paced instrumental with organ and chorus. Island whammy chords and some shimmer. "Surfer Strut" is a pleasant song which approaches the surf genre at times, and also has a sense of drama about it.
Surfer's Rock Instrumental Stereo
"Jungle Wave"
"Jungle Wave" is a rhythmic surf instrumental that uses echo in lieu of reverb. The beat and the structure are very surf, as is the melody line. The tom toms provide drama and pace is typically surf too. very nice track!
Surf Instrumental Stereo
"Spy Glass"
"Spy Glass" is a soft and lush supper jazz instro with coastal undercurrents and surfish tonality. While it's a little nondescript, it does flow well and leave you satisfied. A tasteful instrumental.
Surfer's Jazz Instrumental Stereo
"Tow-In"
An angular rhythm pattern gives way to slow wah wah, which offsets some of the surf feeling that opened it. A gentle guitar line runs above a layered backtrack that mixes some very nice surf ideas with maturing guitar styling. Quite a nice song.
Surfer's Rock Instrumental Stereo
"E-Z Rider"
"E-Z Rider" floats above a distant island steel. The melody is light, as is the song structure. Pretty with a bit of edge, but not memorable.
Surfer's Rock Instrumental Stereo
"Ka Hula O N'a Niu"
"Ka Hula O N'a Niu" is a mixture of Hawaiian commercial sounds and near-surf fifties MOR guitar stylings. It's a very vacation in the islands kinda song.
Hawaiian Vacation Instrumental Stereo
"Fresh Roses II"
A slow and easy going after dinner stroll on the esplanade kind of song, with a romantic sax in the lead and island steel drifting through.
Hawaiian Vacation Instrumental Stereo
"Waikiki Two-Step"
This is a light and playful Hawaiian style song, like the kind of thing that permeated Honolulu hotels in the fifties. Very pretty, almost cute, with a fluid melody and ukulele sense of island vacation. It's the kind of song that you might not get into until you're there and have slowed down.
Hawaiian Vacation Instrumental Stereo
"Sunset At Waikiki"
"Sunset At Waikiki" is a slow and very silky steel guitar island romance that drifts through the palms. Sultry with warm Polynesian innocence and a tropical fragrance. Very nice!
Hawaiian Vacation Instrumental Stereo
"Last Set"
"Last Set" is either the last slow ride of the day, or the last slow dance of the evening. Either way, it has that dusk filmy romance scene feel to it. The lead guitar is a little like a softened stereo echoed Jet Harris sound in the bridges, and more traditional post surf for the melody.
Hawaiian Vacation Instrumental Stereo
BEACH & GUITAR
Surf and Hawaiian Style
© 2004 Rolltop RecordsCD Review by Tom Hinders
WOBC 91.5-Tsunami Soul
"Ode to my VW Bus" on my Radio Show. This song has an amazing combination of funk and surf tremolo. This week, I'm playing the very adventurous "Surfer Strut." I'll continue to play all of the songs on my show, because I know that my listeners will appreciate them all.
I really want to say a few words about the diverse array of songs on this CD. I'm very impressed with them all. The melodies and song structures are great.
"Surfer Strut," has some cool things going on. The surf guitar is very prominent in "JungleWave." I like this song a lot. "Spy Glass" reminds me just a bit of Three Balls of Fire, who are a very popular group from Texas, but it is definitely a unique Tim Coffman song! "Tow-In" is a beautiful song with very nice guitar. I like the cool, shimmering chords at the beginning of this one and the cool melody.
"E-Z Riders" moves and grooves, just like the title implies. I like the guitar in "Ka Hula O Na Niu (The Dance Of The Palm Trees)" a lot, too. A very nice song! The saxophone and guitar in "Fresh Roses II" is very nice. The "Waikiki Two-Step" is one of my favorites. I love the '50s feel to it. Same with "Last Set." The guitar at the beginning has such a nice tone. It reminds me a little bit of Duane Eddy, which is certainly a compliment. "Sunset At Waikiki" shows off Tim Coffman's "Hawaiian Style" sensibility quite nicely. The Hawaiian steel almost makes me feel the island breezes as I listen to this song.
One final thing about all of these songs that I like is the variety of instrumentation. The steel guitar, saxophone, keyboards, guitars and drum/percussion are fantastic.
I should talk more about each song, because they deserve some commentary, but suffice it to say that I dig this CD a lot and I'll keep the songs in steady rotation on my show (and at home!).
Tom Hinders / Tsunami Soul / WOBC 91.5 FM
BEACH & GUITAR
Surf and Hawaiian Style
© 2004 Rolltop Records
By Leif Skartland Sr.
Independent Music Reviewer
Artist - Tim Coffman
Produced by Tim Coffman
Beach & Guitar, the new CD release from Rolltop Music, is a blend of surf and Hawaiian styles. Producer/Artist Tim Coffman brings an exciting and decidedly fresh mix of classic and modern surf sounds. Beach people of all ages will want to ride this twenty-first century CD; Beach & Guitar should be considered détente for any riff between the musical tastes of the long boarders and the thrash surf music crowd.
Rolltop Music, is well known for its exotic gear, and on this outing Coffman uses a 1965 Ludwig drum kit, lots of old snares, a 1961 Vox AC-30, and of course, a collection of old guitars and vintage microphones. Coffman is joined by surf guitar legend Paul Johnson along with Hawaiian steel virtuoso, Greg Sardinha, who Coffman recorded on a recent trip to Hawaii. Coffman’s gift for combining styles results in an edgy gem that reflects current attitudes. In my opinion this is a millennium masterpiece. Truly vintage tones for modern minds.
Many of the gifted players that we have heard on previous CDs also appear on
Beach & Guitar. Guitarist’s Anthony Da Luz and Beau Mac Dougall do a masterful job of taking Coffman’s arrangements off the page. Veteran drummers Duncan Moore, Dave Raven, Brian Cantrell, and Dale Patterson get amazing drum tones as they pound the skins. Tony Patler layers in some very cool keys and John Rekevics smoothes things out with his engaging sax work on Fresh Roses II.
I love this CD. Having grown up listening to surf and going to the beach, it brought back the joy of surf music to me. The vibe is invigorating and happy, and there’s no way to keep the fun away, which, in the end, is the soul of surf music.
Here is a track-by-track review of each song.
TRACK ONE: ODE TO MY VW BUS
The opening track signals what is to come by contrasting over-driven guitars with the traditional clean surf tone. The sound is infectious and exciting; the melody takes you where you want to go. You can see yourself in a VW bus filled with your friends headed for the beach.
TRACK TWO: SURFER STRUT
The youthful anthem vocal continues our VW bus ride, the joyful arrival at the beach, and the inevitable dash across the sand. Tony Patler’s jamming B-3 compliments Paul Johnson’s guitar riffs and keeps pumping up our enthusiasm.
TRACK THREE: JUNGLEWAVE
In this bouncing surf track Paul Johnson’s guitar is outstanding. The quality of Rolltop’s vintage gear shines through and Dave Raven’s drum track is a classic. The surf is up, the waves are tight, and the breaks are calling. I didn’t want this song to end.
TRACK FOUR: SPY GLASS
The mix of jazz, Latin, and movie sound track combines to make this one of my favorite songs on Beach & Guitar. The vibe is so cool, the groove so contagious you have to stop and listen. The delightful twist in the middle returns us to the beginning and continues the charm and enchantment.
TRACK FIVE: TOW-IN
The modern influence’s in Coffman’s songwriting is evident here, the gritty drive, the guitar hooks, the power chord riffs all symbolize the essence of Beach & Guitar; This track is the zenith point on this CD. Vintage tones - modern minds.
TRACK SIX: E-Z RIDERS
The opening crash of waves, the overdrive, the muted guitar rhythm continues the theme of connection with the ocean. The ride is easy and engaging. Jack Butler’s Lap Steel lures us back to the sound of the waves.
TRACK SEVEN: KA HULA O NA NIU (THE DANCE OF THE PALM TREES)
The stunning guitar work of guitarist Anthony De Luz and Beau Mac Dougall makes this song come alive, I found myself humming the melody for the rest of the day. Greg Sardinha’s Hawaiian Steel compliments De Luz as they trade licks drawing us ever closer to quitting our day jobs and heading for the island life.
TRACK EIGHT: FRESH ROSES II
The ambient sweeps of Greg Sardinha shows us why he’s regarded as one of the premiere Hawaiian Steel players and the beautiful sax work of John Rekevics just makes you feel good. You gotta hear this again.
TRACK NINE: WAIKIKI TWO-STEP
You can certainly see yourself under a thatched roof on a warm island evening with this song. The Hawaiian Steel guitar brings the salty breeze off the ocean in a refreshing touch to this bright glide across the dance floor in the arms of that special someone. Loud print shirts optional.
TRACK TEN: SUNSET AT WAIKIKI
Lovers beware; this song cherishes this beautiful moment. It’s easy to imagine sitting on the sand at Waikiki, holding hands, watching time stand still and waiting for the Sun to sink into the sea in a ball of red and orange.
TRACK ELEVEN: LAST SET
Beach & Guitar has been..
