Surf's Comin'

Recording information: 1957-1960.
With the ready availability of electric guitars and reliable amps, instrumental R&B combos turned up the volume in the late '50s and early '60s, and thanks to innovations like on-board reverb units, the sound these regional instrumental groups generated came to be known as surf, although most of the musicians involved had never surfed and were, truthfully, usually landlocked in their various regional scenes across America. Still, surf is what this sound came to be called, so surf it is. This three-disc, 60-track set collects tracks from several of these instrumental bands and guitar slingers, including "Walk Don't Run" by the Ventures, the Champs' decidedly non-surf "Tequila," and pieces from Link Wray ("Rumble") and Duane Eddy ("Ramrod"), among others. It's a fun set, with plenty of pop, motion, and twang-heavy guitars. ~ Steve Leggett