Bonney & Buzz: Play Rough - A Double Crown Records Release ...reviewed by Emma Jade Gunn

Bonney & Buzz: Play Rough

eg music - surf rock music reviews by Emma Jade Gunn

...by Emma Jade Gunn

Bonney and Buzz's Play Rough CD is advertised as Surf / Instrumental Rock. It hits on all eight cylinders in both genres plus a few more. Bonney? Buzz? If you're having an identity crisis I, for one (two if you count my imaginary evil twin), want you to keep it rockin'! Dudes, that guitar and 6-string bass sound you're serving is funfunfundamentally funtastic.

You know what I think? No? I think Play Rough is going to cross some barriers because it definitely, deliciously and defiantly crosses genres with panache and pure power.

One of the important things that makes Play Rough a fabulous CD is the remarkable talent of Peter Miller. He is a fantastic songwriter. What an incredible, imaginative mind! The other thing is the world class playing of Bonney and Buzz. Super, super abilities.

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Perestroika - Like a belly dancer on speed, this will rock your bangles off. The word 'perestroika' actually means something like "restructuring" or maybe it's "hot, fast, cool music" - I don't really know for sure. I like it, though! I like the latent power!

Wounded Knee - Bonney and Buzz are getting all political on Emmy, aren't they? What with Perestroika and now Wounded Knee this chick is giving the KUDO AWARD FOR GETTING ISSUES TRANSLATED TO MUSIC. MUY PERFECTO to B&B. If you need a translation (since I almost translated the name of the last song), that means Wounded Knee has a fantastic indigenous feel to it. Big girls don't cry, but this song tugged at my heart making it go pitty pat. It is beautiful. Beautiful. Haunting. Reflective.

Jungle Surf - Once upon a time I had a buddy who would Gorilla Dance with me. We stood in the middle of old Route 66 and hooted, hollered and swung our arms as if we were huge, hairy, half-demented simians. It was great. If we'd had Jungle Surf accompanying us it would have been monumental! The way the drums and bass play off of each other is super uber righteous. And that growling sax and that drum solo and the totally bodacious coolness of it all!

Swampfrog - OHMYFROG! How did they get that frog sound going? Swampfrog is one of the most unique songs I've ever heard and I absolutely can't get enough of it! Seriously, I'm going to listen again and again because I have to ... absofroggingly have to! ... figure out that sound.

The Hunter - I'm not sure how to describe The Hunter. Is it country slash surf or surf slash pop or surf slash surf with a wink thrown in for good measure? It reminds me of a song a troubadour I met many, many years ago played for me. It was rock and roll and country and classical and I was mesmerized. The Hunter is like that. Just try to classify it. Go ahead. I dare you! Nah, I'm joking. Only Robert Conrad of that old TV show Wild Wild West can get away with that kind of punking. Come to think of it, Wild Wild West was a western that wasn't a western so maybe it fits, after all. I think The Hunter will easily cross genres and thrill crowds anywhere it's played. I'm crazy about the way that twangy bass echoes the lead. Totally cool!

Low Rider - When I'm not in my Stingray, I drive a lowered Neon. Yeah, right, I said, "Neon!" Is it any wonder I take to a song named Low Rider? Played with perfection, the heavy hand on this tune ignites the sound like a vintage Zippo ignites dynamite. It takes a lot of talent to do that, I tell you what! The bass lead is just so freakin' neat!

Mystery Surfer - Who is that drenched man? He hits the waves and cools out without missing a single beat. Part surf, part film noir, part tease, Mystery Surfer is going to be imitated a lot, but never, ever played as perfectly as Bonney and Buzz do it. The dreamy drums 'n' bass in the beginning set the stage and get me drooling like a girl with an all-day sucker.

Teenheat - Makes me wish I was a teen again, that's for certain. Peppy in a surreal sort of way, you can take this one to the beach, er, bank, er, you know what I mean, right? I love the strong backbeat and the precise timing of the guitar ... Wow!

Devil's Slide - This Devil is dragging you to places you always wanted to go, but were afraid to ask for a ride. Uber wild bass 'n' keys, drums 'n' who-knows-what-else bring Devil's Slide to a boil. It's dazzling in it's frenetic pace and more than one of you is going to swear you did that in the sixties! Mea culpa, loves. If they ever sell Devil's Slide as a diet aid, a million people will drop twenty pounds each dancing to it. Utterly fantastic.

Rampant - OMG! What guitar picking! World class! Hey, I miss this kind of tune! I really, really do! Thanks, B&B, for a trip to jazzy, swinging, watch-your-feet-or-you'll-dance-them-right-off land. P.S. I love to cut the rug. Call me, I need a swing partner to hit the boards with.

Deep Sleep - Ooooh, this is rich, like a perfect Godiva chocolate. The guitars literally melt in your brain and ooze all of the way to your toes. I'd write more but I'm going to close my eyes now and just enjoy Deep Sleep. It honestly doesn't get any better than this.

The Eternal Surf - Amazing guitar playing! Em is going out on a limb here and predicting The Eternal Surf is going to enter the annals of tradition and be played at tributes for the next hundred or more years. Extraordinary. I won't even make a quip about this song. Nope. Would be wrong to do less than say, "I'm in awe." Keep a copy for your future because sooner or later we all need a tribute to something awesome and The Eternal Surf is the tribute you're going to want.

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It's hard to surprise an old broad like me, but Bonney and Buzz did a mondo terrific job by getting Emmy to do double-takes and ooohs at every corner. Great CD. Simply Great!

Bonney & Buzz: Play Rough
01) Perestroika	Peter Miller	2:53
02) Wounded Knee	Peter Miller	3:17
03) Jungle Surf	Peter Miller	2:20
04) Swampfrog	Peter Miller	2:59
05) The Hunter	Peter Miller	3:15
06) Low Rider	Peter Miller	2:03
07) Mystery Surfer	Peter Miller	2:40
08) Teenheat	Peter Miller	2:20
09) Devil's Slide	Peter Miller	3:20
10) Rampant	Peter Miller	2:49
11) Deep Sleep	Peter Miller	2:06
12) The Eternal Surf	Peter Miller	4:37

This album is dedicated to the memory of Diamond Jet Harris

Produced by Big Boy Pete
All songs written by Peter Miller,

Sheena Music 2012 [BMI]
Recorded at Ocean Beach Studios in San Francisco
Sound Recordings licensed from 22 Records, PO Box 15427, San Francisco, CA 94115
e-mail: Buzz at audioinst@earthlink.net, Bonney at Fentones@aol.com
Website: www.bigboypete.com
Package Design: Ferenc Dobronyi

Bonney & Buzz: Play Rough
A Double Crown Records Release

Double Crown Records 2012
http://www.doublecrownrecords.com