nivrmcd1.jpg (9775 bytes) VA – An Evening In Nivram, The Music Of The Shadows LP/CD (Musick e-mail: musick@comcat.com)

Omega Men – Main Theme, Falcons – Apache, Huntington Cads – Gonzales, Aqua Velvets – Atlantis, Fathoms – Man Of Mystery, Space Cossacks – The Savage, Boss Martians – Don’t It Make You Feel Good, Troubadours – The Lute Number, Alohas – Evening Comes, Tiki Tones – Tomorrow’s Cancelled, Davie Allan & The Arrows – Tales Of A Raggy Tramline, Travelers Of Tyme – Maroc 7, Satan’s Pilgrims – The Rise And Fall Of Flingel Bunt, Deoras – Zambesi, Teisco Del Rey – Theme For Young Lovers, Jim Mankey – Back Home

One of my favorite compilation albums around, reflecting the music of the Shadows which, like that of the Ventures in the U.S., was mostly catchy guitar-led instro melodies – sometimes with a surfy sound, but often with a unique echoey sound of their own. Not only does this collection assemble some of the best current instro bands, but it also presents tunes that for the most part don’t appear elsewhere. I dig this album all the way through, and even with the common theme there’s a variety of sounds like the Hawaiian guitar from the Alohas (members of the Fathoms), the lone vocal number from the Boss Martians, the fuzzfest from Davie Allan, and the spacey Travelers Of Tyme tune. Great and thorough liner notes from Shadows superfan and lead Cossack, Ivan Pongracic.