Dynotones - S/T CD (www.dynotones.com)

From Orange County, California, the Dynotones are known for an authentic instro sound leaning toward the hot rod side of the early 60's surf / hot rod spectrum. This one's a very nice debut platter from them with a cross section of choice covers and solid originals. Cover-wise, we hear the likes of the Astronauts, Bobby Fuller, Link Wray, the Ventures, and even the obscuro Deadly Ones tune Monster Surfin' Time. Recorded at Deke Dickerson's fabulous Eccofonic studios, the sound is clean, authentic, and strong with two guitars. The Dynos' tone is well suited to the big, super-wet sound of the Astronauts on Surf Softly (And Carry A Big Board). Dynotone Stomp is a lurching Frankenstein stomp number that reminds me of Satan's Pilgrims. Nice to hear someone doing a cover of Bobby Fuller's Wolfman, which fits squarely in the mold of the Del-Fi 60s hot rod instro sound. As much as I like the strong surfy numbers, 99 A.D. is probably my favorite tune here - big fuzzed out caveman romp. The Money Shaker is right up there for me too, as a nice east LA pachuko style instro featuring original Nocturne reedman Jim Frias. Menacing spy / space sound on Shadow Man, with a little theramin or oscillator or something sneaking around in the background. And Blood & Sand rounds out the disc (at least until the hidden extra track) with a big fast rattlesnake boots type of tune that'd be a great soundtrack for a desert race in Baja.