Dick Dale and His Del-Tones
Surfer's Choice

THE REVIEW

In these days that make me melancholy for a summer that's ending, I skim my fingers over the list of CDs and find the perfect counterpart to the approaching autumn, that Dick Dale, guitar maestro who influenced more than a few people in the years to come.

Dick Dale, "king of the surf guitar" as he would (self)define some time later, debuted with this "Surfer's Choice" in 1962 – antediluvian times if we consider them with today's eyes and ears. But... for the younger ones: who is this Dick Dale? The so-called "surf music" was born with this record, and I don't think it’s necessary to add who will be the direct and most inspired successors to this gentleman (aside from a whole series of groups/bands that have arrived until today, perhaps more for fashion than inspiration). Perhaps the songs explain it better: Sloop John B and Misirlou Twist. The first, an old Caribbean folk song found in a 1927 archive of publisher Carl Sandburg, successfully brought to fame by the aforementioned successors. The second, also covered by Wilson & Co. on their first album, is known today for the version from a few years ago by the Black Eyed Peas (where is the love? oh well).

Needless to say which one is better, especially because at 74 years old this gentleman still has an impressive punch (go watch some recent performances to see for yourself), imagine what he could do back then. Just the opening of Surf Beat, with that slap-given guitar and our guy’s screams accompanied by pretty girls (the album was mostly recorded live) makes us anticipate what's coming: a sort of auditory experience of the closest thing to surf. For those years, it must have been a shocking novelty. There's not much deviation from the most canonical blues, with a full brass section and always apt rhythm: in the end, the only thing that truly matters here is not the songs themselves (I’m tempted to mention, among others, at least Surfing Drums, Let's Go Trippin', and Shake N' Stomp, in addition to those mentioned above) but the very distinctive guitar tone, suspended between fast technical skill and pure touch. Let's also add the flair this man puts into the singing; surely, he must have been more concerned with catching the next wave or the next girl.

How do you explain surf music? With this guitar.

Advice for all the guitarists or aspiring ones, possibly the youngsters marveling over supersonic metal solos: try to reproduce even a part of this sound, considering it was 1962 and not 2011. Go back to the old days, it will be progress, as someone said... never has this phrase seemed more appropriate than in this instance.

PS this record had been out of print, but a few years ago Sundazed remastered it with some bonuses that in some cases surpass the original lineup: Del-Tone Rock, the second version of Miserlou, Jungle Fever are there to prove it.