THE X-RAYONS
The X-Rayons
New Atlas CD
In surf music, as in pop music, the hardest thing in the world can be keeping it simple. You know, playing it close to the vest Keeping it real in the double-ought. With taste.

Following in the footsteps of such local surf legends as Family Dollar Pharaohs, the X-Rayons do the simplicity credo one better - they sneak complexity into their songs without making the ear-candy any less sweet for the listener. They even throw some dissonance in there for good measure. The result is classic surf music that's as smart and interesting as it is fun.

The X-Rayons is built around the twin-guitar attack of Steve Carr and Brunson Hoole, both veterans of the early-'90s combo Emperors of Ice Cream. Bassist Mike Nicholson and drummer Tony Stiglitz have more skills than necessary for a surf band but never let that get in the way of the songs themselves.

"Big Wigs" rocks hard, then pleasantly degenerates into a Lynyrd Skynyrd-style guitar duel. "Bodega Bay" happily upsets its bossa nova lilt with Polvo-esque melodies. "Pin Monkey pairs staccato guitar lines with bowling alley-soundbites. And "Ferdinand" shows a tender side not many surf bands possess.

It would be an oversight not to mention Mitch Easter's excellent production, which cleans up the band's sound without stripping away any of its personality. And there's no shortage of personality here. Highly recommended for birthday parties, barbecues, long drives, days at the beach or working on your car. -- GAVIN O' HARA

This is from the Phil Dirt homepage.

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Reef Madness ***

With 24 tracks, some of which are really good, and a price lower than most, this CD comp is a good buy. There are some long awaited debuts here, and some really strong performances. The Space Cossacks and the Surf Kings are the best! It is an inconsistent compilation, from a recording quality standpoint, as well as from a performance and writing standpoint. The high points are really good, and the low points are just below ok, with the balance being in the upper quartile. All in all, a very good bet, with a high hit rate.

Picks:

THE X-RAYONS "Cascade" ***

Cool rhythmic track, with a low-E dry guitar lead playing a simple melody line that fits perfectly with the backtrack for an infectious combination. Quite nice.

Gotta Have It Factor: Great To Have