The Aquatudes: Unsafe At Any Speed! ...reviewed by Justin Hayes

The Aquatudes: Unsafe At Any Speed!

CD notes: Surf Rock Music Reviews by Justin Hayes

Unsafe At Any Speed!
Reviewed by: Justin Hayes

Let's start off with introductions...

The Aquatudes are:
Mike Rocchetti - Bass
Dick Bascom - Drums
Tom Bittel - Guitar

I'm going to borrow the following paragraph from The Aquatudes...

"We're a surf/rock trio based in Central Connecticut. We've been bringing our reverberating brand of rock 'n roll to clubs, parties, and events around Connecticut and in NYC since 2007."

I'm going to add something to the first sentence of that paragraph...

"We're an outstanding surf/rock trio based in Central Connecticut."

And outstanding they are. The Aquatudes can flat get with the program. They possess an inherent understanding of what makes music really sing and they have the ability to bring that inherent understanding to fruition.

Unsafe At Any Speed! is The Aquatudes' debut 12-track CD. With it, they've wasted no time climbing into the upper echelons of instrumental bands. The world of instro music can look forward to a bright future as The Aquatudes turn us on with their terrific sounds.

Tom Bittel wrote all of the tracks on Unsafe At Any Speed!. When you hear the album, you'll come away thinking the same thing as I do ... that man has Talent O' Plenty.

:: :: :: :: ::
Corvair 500 - I hear an engine fire up. Could it be a warp in my space-time continuum? Back in 1970 I owned a '61 Corvair Monza. Corvair 500 reminds me of that puppy ... lively, bouncy and a total kick in the ass. Corvair 500 is loaded with more than enough six-string twang and peppy glissandos to keep any Corvair owner happy. There's a cool interlude at the 01:50 mark with Dick Bascom executing subtle, but effective cymbal work that adds a unique texture to the mix. Tom Bittel's excellent guitar picking slams this baby into high gear. Very cool and very '60s. Instro hot rod 'n' roll to the max.

Sand in My Groove - Eins, zwei - eins, zwei, drei, vier (one, two - one, two, three, four). He barks it out in German, so you know Sand in My Groove is going to be tight. There's a strong, marching type of quality in the verse, thanks to Dick Bascom's definitive four-to-the-bar snare drum cadence. The chorus offers a cool contrast in that Tom Bittel's guitar projects a romantic feeling, almost as though it's wooing the listener. The juxtaposition between verse and chorus is terrific. Nice drum break at 00:38 with tasty use of the hi-hats. Mike Rocchetti's bass fills are a cool touch and add depth to this splendid arrangement.

Mosquito Dance - Tom Bittel's talent for composing and arranging really shines through on Mosquito Dance. His upper-octave muted picking makes a neat simulated mosquito sound. The overall feeling in Mosquito Dance makes it easy to imagine a marauding band of mosquitoes engaging in a ritualistic midnight dance as they contemplate their next victim. Nice tom-tom work in the chorus.

Take the Pipe - Opens with the sound of waves washing up on the shore. Gentle tremolo laden chords add to the serene feeling. Then it begins. A mysterious surfer appears in the distance. The perfect wave breaks and he slides into the pipe. He's hanging 10 over-the-top on a once-in-a-lifetime ride. It's over as quickly as it began. The wave is gone. The surfer is gone. Was it a mirage?

Aquatudes Theme - High-energy, high-spirited guitar and tom-tom playing makes for a bodacious theme song. Dr. Dave Bittel adds a full, rich dimension to the overall sound with his keyboards. Aquatudes Theme punctuates the musical depth of The Aquatudes.

Dr. Why - Mysterious and compelling, Dr. Why is a neat spy tune. Tom Bittel's arrangement is excellent, with enough twists and turns to make you wonder who, or what, is lurking around the next corner. Dr. Dave Bittel's keyboards spice things up with a deliciously sinister flavor and give Dr. Why the perfect whodunit feeling.

Shim Jambs Before Cutting Bands - Terrific instro rock 'n' roll number. Lotsa twang and bang by The Aquatudes gang makes Shim Jambs Before Cutting Bands a bodacious party tune. Very '60s and very cool.

Cindy in the Sun - Relaxing, romantic song. I can visualize Cindy sitting on a hillside in a field of daisies with sunlight glistening through her hair. Cindy in the Sun is a beautiful song for a beautiful lady.

Bongo Shmongo - Extremely cool opening with Dick Bascom laying down some kick-ass bongo playing. Two measures in and Tom Bittel ramps up the total coolness with a two-bar glissando that breaks into a predatory eighth-note riff. I really dig Mike Rocchetti's bass lines. Power, intensity and drama are keynotes of Bongo Shmongo. Subtleties that add to the neat sound are the judicious use of the tambourine and hi-hat. Terrific song, terrific arrangement.

Lawnmower Stroll - Put the headphones on, then dance and swing while you mow your lawn. Laid-back and groovy, Lawnmower Stroll will put a smile on your face while you make short order of the green stuff that populates your yard. Tom Bittel struts his stuff with some great guitar picking. Mike Rocchetti's bass walkin' is totally cool.

Roadtrip! - There's nothing I like better than hitting the road, whether it's going on tour or with (aargh!) the family. Roadtrip! captures the essence ... lively, upbeat, happy and optimistic. Be sure to pop Roadtrip! into your player the next time you plan a trip. It's the ultimate good-time hit-the-road prelude.

Puncture & Incinerate - What a terrific song to finish off the album this is! Everyone is smokin' hot. Once again Tom Bittel sets his guitar on fire, Dick Bascom punishes those tom-toms like a man possessed and Mike Rocchetti punches out an uber-potent bottom end. Puncture & Incinerate is a surf 'n' spy type number that kicks some very serious butt. It opens with something going on in the background. It sounds like an audiotape being played backwards while someone is shaking a can of something flammable while whistling the melody line to Puncture & Incinerate. A man asks, "What?" ... Well, I'll tell you what. All hell breaks loose as The Aquatudes blast out what I nominate as one of the best instro tunes of the year. Absolutely freakin' outstanding.

:: :: :: :: ::
Get this album. Unsafe At Any Speed! needs to be in your collection. The Aquatudes are a terrific band and Unsafe At Any Speed! is a bodaciously excellent collection of original music. It's instro coolness to the max.

The Aquatudes: Unsafe At Any Speed!
01) Corvair 500*	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	3:45
02) Sand in My Groove	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	3:02
03) Mosquito Dance	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	3:46
04) Take the Pipe	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	3:44
05) Aquatudes Theme*	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	3:10
06) Dr. Why*	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	2:40
07) Shim Jambs Before Cutting Bands	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	2:12
08) Cindy in the Sun*	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	3:29
09) Bongo Shmongo	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	3:56
10) Lawnmower Stroll	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	3:46
11) Roadtrip!	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	3:27
12) Puncture & Incinerate	Thomas J. Bittel (BMI)	3:10
*With Dr. Dave Bittel, Piano and Organ, Tracks 1, 5, 6, 8

Words and music by Thomas J. Bittel (BMI).
Recorded at Dad's Noisy Basement, West Hartford, Connecticut
Mastered by Rich Silva at RASer Studios