Review by: Davy Peckett in New Gandy Dancer

Lemme Take You To The Beach - The Tunes of Frank Zappa (Cordeli Records CD035)

I recall seeing Frank Zappa's (largely) instrumental work on stage in 1969 as part of a UK tour in Newcatle City Hall. The sounds - Willie The Pimp; Peaches En Regalia; Take Your Clothes Off, were just unique; glorious; different; spell-binding and bloody complicated! So top marks for all these bands tackling, and giving a surf touch to the maestro's music. It would have tickled him no end. Very spritely start with a very fast all-twanging Lumpy Gravy from The Spoilers before an equally fine twanging job by The Atomic Mosquitos. The Orange County Lumber cut is one of those weirdies I was telling you about but what a great job Fudge make of it. 'Jeepers from Estrumental is a huge 12 bar fuzz sound where The Bitch Boys conjure up fifties teens in a lovely Memories Of El Monte. Its back to strangeville with a good pairing of G Spot Tornado and Baby Snakes by The Invisible Birds and Don's Mobile Barbers respectively, the latter of which features comb playing. The Concaves have a powerful staccato surf edge and a brilliant Lullabye Of The Leaves drum snare intro on their contribution We Are Not Alone. Only space precludes us from mentioning every track on a great, great album. Each band is just cracking and there are no weak tracks at all - and we've ot said that for a LONG time. Highly recommended. **** (Davy)