You can hear all of the new CD at the AudioNet Jukebox
You can buy the CD at AudioNet Jukebox, Surf Music U.S.A., or from POLLO DEL MART.
Pollo Del Mar's first full length CD comes from a series of recording sessions over the last two years, and one live radio show. "Teleport '63" was written by Ferenc Dobronyi in 1982, and starts off the CD (it remains the band's opening song at all live performances.) Jono Jones has contributed two songs, "Death Valley Daze," and "Nightsticks," as well as collaborating with Ferenc on a special love song for that god of afternoon re-runs, "Erik Estrada." Two cover songs are included: Frank Zappa's "Take Your Clothes Off", and the obscure "2314-B" which was found on a blank-jacketed LP put out by a band known as The Sidetrack in 1968. The song's odd time signatures reveal it's prog-rock origins, although Pollo Del Mar was careful to give it the 'Fender guitars through Fender reverbs into Fender amps' treatment. Some of the songs on "The Ocean Is Not For Cowards" may be familiar to those who have collected the compilations that PDM have appeared on, but they have either been re-recorded or re-mixed for this release. Songs making their premier include "The Blue Rider", "To Surf, With Love" and "The Whammy." The final track, "Pearl Diver" was recorded live by DJ Phil Dirt at a benefit show for station KFJC.
Liner notes by PHIL DIRT
About three years back, I got a phone call from Pollo Del Mar. A new surf band, they wanted to know if they could play on my show at KFJC. After a chat, they sent a tape, and we made the date for a live show. When they played, I was stunned. I had not heard a band like this before.
Since then, I've seen them many times, and had the opportunity to do more live radio with them as well. They have matured from a strikingly unique beginning to an accomplished, one of a kind, powerhouse surf band.
Pollo Del Mar's music blends power and subtlety, art and science, the land and the sea. With a sound somewhere between Zappa and the Insect Surfers, Pollo Del Mar have a new approach to instrumental surf, with non-traditional values and structures, and infectious writing. There are hints of the Southwest, of jazz and ska, of chanting monks, and of dramatic scenes. Their soundscapes are picturesque, and yet, there is a pervasive humor in both the songs and the performance. These guys have fun when they play, and it shows here, in their recordings.
Pollo Del Mar are pushing the surf envelope, making waves where none had been before.
No Lyrics, But Every Song Has A Story
- Teleport '63� Your body is a prison, your mind is at the beach. You feel the sun, the waves crashing over you, the call of the wild surf. You can be there. Teleport. Sound effects courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic, er, Radio Shack.
- Death Valley Daze� You put your VW bus in nuetral and coast the several mile descent into Death Valley National Monument. You rub your eyes in disbelief as you make out the shape of a lone skateboarder through the waves of heat mirage rising off the asphalt.
- Playa Pistola� Penned as an homage to Ennio Morricone, the original version of this song appeared on the "Spaghetti" compilation CD.
- Take Your Clothes Off� Our take of Frank Zappa's irreverant treatise on hippies and the new age. You can find the original on his "We're Only In It for The Money" and "Lumpy Gravy" albums.
- Insecticide� After seeing the Insect Surfers, we wrote this song attempting to ape their dueling twin lead guitar sound. An early version of this song was featured on the "Instro Nation" compilation. Incidentally, Insect Dave doesn't think that we sound anything like them!
- The Blue Rider� When surfer Mark Foo died at the infamous surf spot known as Mavericks off the Santa Cruz coast, we were inspired to write this song for all who have been taken by the ocean.
- 2314-B� 11/8, 5/4??? What the heck is going on in this song written in 1967 by an unknown band called The Sidetrack? We found a 9 minute version of it on a blank jacketed demo album, and wrote our own arrangement. No that is not a theremin on the middle brige, but old fashioned guitar feedback. Mondo drumming courtesy of Chris Thomas. (2314-B is either a type of pen, or Jeff Turner's previous address.)
- Too Surf, With Love� This is the bridge to The Whammy, played with feeling.
- The Whammy� It has something to do with Whammy bars, but more to do with voodoo, as in: "The Voodoo man but the Whammy on you."
- Erik Estrada� An empassioned ode to the god of afternoon TV. Gratuitous "Endless Summer" tacked on at the end. We have a hilarious video scripted for this one... Does anyone want to invest $5000?
- Gate� Formula surf song about attaining nirvana. Buddhist monks, Hawaiian guitar, dub bridge and ska verses.Typical. The intro says: "Ohm, gate, gate, para gate, para sam gate, Bodhi Swa Ha" roughly translates to: "Praise, he is gone, gone beyond, gone beyond gone, the Buddha has risen."
- Nightsticks� The sirens blare outside the window of your Mission District Apartment. The humidity fueled by your evaporating sweat on this sleepless night. The swagger of a cop, twirling his nightstick as he walks his beat.
- Snow Crash� Drug or virus? Both. Software that crashes your hard drive and kills you. From the Neil Stevenson book of the same name. Or maybe its about skiing. Could be the feeling you get when you fall asleep watching TV and wake up to a test-pattern and white noise.
- Pearl Diver� In a small fishing village in the Maldives, a young man risks his life every minute by diving deep into the crystal clear coastal waters. Far below the turbulent waves, on the still ocean floor, he finds his ticket to freedom from the oppression of poverty encased in an ugly clamshell: a flawless pearl.
Here are some unsolisited comments from folks just like you:
I think The Ocean is Not For Cowards is outstanding, really one of the top CDs this (or any) year. Blew me away. Fine recording and great stereo, with great depth covering the breadth of speed from slow to rocket-attack.
Outstanding artwork too. I really love it.
-Jay
Thanks for the CD! I love it! Need to listen to it a couple more times to
give full report but first listen was awesome! I'm so happy for you guys. The
packaging is cool too! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Hope to see you guys in Oct/Nov up
there.....
-Dusty
Got the new Pollo Del Mar CD "The Ocean Is Not For Cowards," and I'm really
left speechless! While I'd heard a few of their tracks on various comps, I
wasn't prepared for this. What an incredible mix of surf, jazz, prog,
psyche, and even some Zappa! Somehow, they make it all hold together. This
is the future of surf music. Bands like Pollo, the Mermen, the Insect
Surfers, the Surf Kings, Squid Vicious, Brazil 2001, etc., are going to push
surf music into the 21st century. Let's hear it for post-modern surf!
-Ted
Thank you for the quick delivery of your CD and the Spaghetti CD. I recieved
them today and have played a hole thru them.My GOD!!! Frank must be smiling
in heaven when he heard you guys doing TAKE YOUR CLOTHES
OFF...........EXCELLENT!!!!
-James
Great work, guys -- makes me feel like drinking stiff martinis in the sun and
rubbing tanning oil on a scantily-clad wahine. Great packaging, too. Nice to
have all these tracks I've been hearing on comps.
-Rip
Great CD package. The whole thing is wonderful. The art is unique, eye
catching, and fits the sound really well.
I've been listening at work nearly every day. I LOVE Playa Pistolas...
bang bang shoot shoot!
-Frank
As a 39 year old longboarder and guitarist, this is the best classic surf
music I've heard (better than the original Dick Dale stuff.) If you ever play
the East Coast near New Jersey drop me a line... Great work!
-Brian
