Channel Surfing With... The Astroglides ...CD review by Cerulean Ravenwing

Channel Surfing With... The Astroglides

...by Cerulean Ravenwing

     A slow, lilting tropical descent, monkeys and birds cavorting in the background, tribal drums comfortably beating a soft refrain. Suddenly the reverie is broken. A powerful, double picking phoenix screams through the jungle on wings of reverb. Prey in sight, the glissando dives, wings of reverb pulled in tight.

     Right from the first track, aptly titled Tropically Disturbed, Channel Surfing With... The Astroglides grabs the jugular, holds on tight and takes you for a wild ride deep into the Reverb Trench. 19 (that's right kiddies! Count 'em! NINETEEN!) tracks of in-your-face surf rock. None of the pseudo-surf that pops up here and there. Channel Surfing is the real deal. The likes of The Ventures, Dick Dale, et al., may soon be holding court with The Astroglides. They're real and they're poised to join the reigning royalty.

     High horsepower, punchy bass, rollicking rhythm, balls-to-the-wall lead and devastating drums, mixed with other instruments (even a didgeridoo!) create a wave of aural bliss. At times light and airy, other times dark and sinister, the balance of sounds and emotions take the soul through a roller coaster of apexes and nadirs, yet never deviate from a heady equilibrium. Even the track order assists this wild excursion. Alternating between emotions so rapidly like this, it's difficult to fall into complacency and let the music disappear into the background.

     Now for the kicker. They're easily one of the best surf rock bands out there. Tight, in control. The punch line? They're from Israel. Not too odd when you consider it, though. Israel sits right on the Mediterranean Sea. Warm water, nice waves, a potential surfer's paradise. Dick Dale's family comes from the Middle East (Lebanon, just north of Israel). As you can hear the Middle Eastern influences in Dick's greatest hit, Miserlou, so can you hear them on Channel Surfing tracks such as Sharqiya, The Adventures of Rabbi Jacob and Cruisin' Down Menahem Begin Blvd.

     No let-downs. Consistent quality. Deep, wet reverb. Phenomenal musicianship. In one word? GREAT! The Astroglides should easily climb into the upper echelon of surf rock masters. They're just that damn good.

Channel Surfing With... The Astroglides
01) Tropically Disturbed 02) Cruisin' Down Menahem Begin Blvd. 03) Inspector Neer 04) The Man With the Golden Reverb 05) Nervous Man in a $4 Room 06) The Adventures of Rabbi Jacob 07) Gunslinger 406 Malfunction 08) Crime & the Law 09) 2003 Horsepower 10) Pascua Negra	11) English, English, English 12) Meat Cleavage 13) Second Look 14) Sunday Syndrome 15) Sharqiya 16) High Tide 17) Dark Surf 18) Sewerpipe Ride 19) Kabbalah Fucker

The Astroglides
http://www.astroglides.com
astroglides@hotmail.com

Channel Surfing With... The Astroglides
(C) & (P) 2003
P.O. Box 14542
Tel-Aviv 61444 Israel
Fast Music
http://www.fastmusic.co.il
contact@fastmusic.co.il

Cerulean Ravenwing is a freelance reporter who loves a free good time

Cerulean Ravenwing is a freelance event reporter who will go just about anywhere, anytime, for a free good time.