The promo sheet to this album states "In a genre where cliches and cheesy homages to DICK DALE abound, THE RAMBLIN' AMBASSADORS serve up their love for un-ironic vintage sounds with no best before date". Un-ironic vintage, maybe. Cliche free, no. In fact, I bet they even often play in their cold landlocked Canadian city of Calgary wearing board shorts and loud Hawiian shirts with a surfboard propped up in the background.

This is a instrumental surf album and for the casual surf listener it will bring DICK DALE to mind. I found the songs tended to blur together although the band's sped up re-write of THE SADIES "Rat Creek" stood out as does "Cupcakes De Milo" with the use of garage rock. There is also some appealing guitar work in " Speed Wobble" but most of the song bores due to its familiarity. I'm sure these guys are good musicians and know their genre well but this just isn't all that interesting. It's largely the surfshop equivalent of elevator music.

- Carr

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/ramblinambassadors

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