Review by: CULTCUTS MUSIC

BitchBoys- …In Heat

CD Provided by Radio Hit Records

I'm not as quick as I used to be and it took me a while to understand this band's sorta stupid name, then it finally dawned on me—it's a frigging phonetic interpretation of an Eastern European pronunciation of THE BEACH BOYS. About the same time I uncorked the mystery of the BITCH BOYS moniker, I also uncorked a three-dollar bottle of wine and cranked this CD. I've been listening to a lot of surf lately and I have been surprised at how fresh some bands are keeping a music that is steeped in restrained tradition. I never expected to be checking out any Slovenian surf rock, let alone digging something as consistently good as ...In Heat. These boys deliver all the expected twang, reverb and dance-beat drumming, but also work in some pleasant surprises and inventive songwriting. There are twenty tracks in all (plus a raunchy "bonus track") and they're mostly originals, though there are also two great covers: "Paint It Black" (which mixes THE GODFATHER theme into the familiar melody!) and an inverted version of "Telstar." The songs are mostly upbeat, with a couple of slow and dreamy numbers, though I could have done without the simulated sex bonus track. It's a fun record and is bound to heat up the dance floors and beach parties of surf music lovers everywhere.

—Rev. Spenser Hoyt