King of the Surf Guitar

Dick Dale | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 12, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sundazed Music Inc.
• ASIN: B000OLHGL6
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,290 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

As fast as surf-guitar innovator Dick Dale blazes his way through searing versions of "Hava Nagila" and "Riders in the Sky" on King of the Surf Guitar, his terrific 1963 Capitol Records debut album, any doubts that Dale could duplicate the frenzied attack of his previous LP, the wildly successful Surfers' Choice, are completely erased. Whatever style of music -- R&B, folk or pop -- Dale tosses into his sharp-bladed, slice 'n' dice music machine, it comes out pure surf, absolutely smoking-hot and the perfect accompaniment to your next beach-side stomp and frug session.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes he is!, June 25, 2007

By 

lighten_up_already2 "lighten_up_already2" (Kirkland, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: King of the Surf Guitar (Audio CD)

This is surf guitar at its finest. How wonderful it is that these Dick Dale classic early recordings are finally out on CD. Thanks to whoever made this possible. I was about to start collecting them on vinyl when I checked one more time for a CD release and here they are!



This recording is pure fun and energy from start to finish, and the rendition of "What'd I Say" is alone worth the price of admission. Surf's up!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surf music will never die, December 2, 2010

By 

J. A. Zittel "Jimbo" (Encinitas, Ca.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: King of the Surf Guitar (Audio CD)

If you love surf music, you have to have Dick Dale in your collection. One of beginning surf bands of southern California. Just a little fact for you, Dick Dale realy did surf ( Brian Wilson of Beach Boys never surfed). This is classic old D.D. surf sound, plus no one made there guitar sound like he did. If you didn't know, he played left handed. But he played with the strings upside down because they hadn't made left handed guitars back then.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars +1/2 - Dale's second album dilutes the guitar sting of his debut, January 3, 2010

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: King of the Surf Guitar (Audio CD)

Dick Dale's second album was his first to be issued on the Capitol label, and though his guitar playing is solid (as is his saxophonist's), the song selection isn't as inspiring as his debut, Surfer's Choice. The Blossoms, featuring Darlene Love, back Dale on the title track and the guitarist sings lead on "Kansas City," "Dick Dale Stomp," and several other tracks. The covers include R&B, Soul, Folk, Country and International tunes that aren't always the best showcase for Dale's immense instrumental talent. Or at least they're not always arranged to leave space for his guitar. The second half of the album offers more charms, with staccato flat-picked shredding on "Hava Nagela" and "Riders in the Sky," fancy picking on "Mexico" and a low twangy groove on "Break Time." Sundazed's CD reissue adds two bonus tracks, both instrumentals that offer up samplings of Dale's six-string craft, but on balance there's more singing and sax than belongs on an album titled "King of the Surf Guitar." This album leaves you wanting more of Dale's picking, which just might have been the idea at the time. 3-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2010 hyperbolium dot com]