Dirty Fuse
Review by: Justin Hayes
I'd been looking forward to hearing Dirty Fuse's self-titled CD, Dirty Fuse. I finally got the chance and was not disappointed. The CD not only lived up to my expectations, it surpassed them.
Dirty Fuse is an awesome band and Dirty Fuse is an awesome CD. There are 12 all-instro tracks, packed with 30 great minutes of surf and plenty of good old-fashioned fun.
If Dirty Fuse is indicative of the music being played in Athens, Greece, I want to go there ... now.
Some introductions are in order: Kostas Bakoulas: Guitar ... Manolis Kisamitakis: Sax
Christos Kogios: Drums ... John Drake: Bass ... Duda Victor: Guitar.
Guest Performers: Maria Nikolakopoulou: Trumpet on "Red Moon"
Constantinos Christodoulou: Piano on "Reverb Land" and "Kite To The Stars"
Hanouf Onour: Tubeleki on "Black Hole"
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Your Brain Is Calling - Rad surf tune. The really cool guitar playing at the beginning sounds like it's underwater. Great drumming and bass playing add to the driving sound. The neat sax treatment, playing in harmony with the bass during the last couple of verses, lights things up.
Sunset Beach - Outstanding. Simply outstanding. Sunset Beach has surf written all over it ... powerful, emotional surf. Exceptionally well played by everyone, with just the right evocative touch. Sunset Beach will let loose tsunamis of surf to all who hear it.
A Blade From Damascus - Gobs of surf, with all of the things we love about surf ... reverb, tremolo, glissandos and double-picked power. The punchy bass drives this one. A Blade From Damascus has a cool dark edge that makes you want to hit the beach and go for the big one.
Broken Wheels - Surfy hot rod tune. The neat palm muting on the guitar gives you the feeling that someone is putting along in their broken-wheeled jalopy. The arrangement is reminiscent of early '60s music. Cool stuff.
Surf Lady - Opens with a hot bass riff, followed by thunderous pounding on the tom-toms. The bass and tom-tom combination creates an awesome sound. Then a crashing chord delivers a shockwave that gives birth to a super cool surf tune. Great drumming and juxtaposition of the guitars and bass make Surf Lady scream. I like the way the sax is used to accentuate certain phrases.
Reverb Land - This is a cool one, jazzy and surfy. Begins with some neat FX, followed by a piano chord that's meant to get your attention. Cloak and dagger type of bass, drum and guitar playing sets the mood. Here comes a sexy saxophone and I'm turned on to the vibe.
Red Moon - The powerful opening will definitely get your attention by delivering a crisp, decisive musical attack. It's almost as though Red Moon is challenging you to a duel and hoping that you will accept the challenge. Neat, potent track, highlighted by some excellent horn playing.
Cowgirl Gone Surfing - Lively and jumpy, Cowgirl Gone Surfing is a head-bouncing tune if ever there was one. A really fun song that makes me want to strap a pogo stick to a surfboard and bounce my way to the beach. Neat, neat, neat.
Surfin’ Bahia - Exceptional guitar playing highlights this surfy cocktail number. Yes, cocktail. I can see myself enjoying a cocktail while walkin' the board and groovin' to Surfin’ Bahia. I really like the kick-ass drum 'n' sax break going into the last verse. Too cool.
Kite To The Stars - Monster tune, big and powerful. Forget wind power, this kite prefers rocket fuel. There ain't no holdin' back as Dirty Fuse play like demons possessed and launch that kite all of the way to the stars.
Black Hole - That guitar sounds like the tick tock of a timepiece. Maybe it has something to do with the space-time continuum and the matter-antimatter sucking of a black hole. Whatever it is, the cool factor increases by light-years when those bongos kick in. Living in the icy cold depths of space, Black Hole is as far out cool as you can get.
Last Wave - Neat, bouncy surf tune. The only problem is ... if I could catch a last wave that was as much fun to ride as Last Wave is to hear, I wouldn't be able to stop. I'd want to ride all night. This is an outstanding track, with a freakin' cool guitar interlude (beginning at 1:25) that will snap a headbanger's head right off of his shoulders.
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When I was asked to review Dirty Fuse, I could hardly wait for it to arrive. Well, it was most definitely worth the wait. It's a really cool all-instro surf CD.
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Green Cookie Records 2012