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"Pipeline" the song is not only one of just three genuine instrumental surf hits ("Wipeout" and "Penetration" are the others), but an artifact of rare beauty, an otherworldly, liquefied meditative mantra between the swells as opposed to the crashing bluster of Dick Dale's heavies. Often imitated, it was never duplicated, not even by the Chantays themselves (although the later single "Monsoon," included as a bonus cut here, comes pretty close). Otherwise this debut from the Santa Ana, California, quintet consists mainly of run-of-the-mill instrumentals (covers of "Runaway," "Riders in the Sky," and "Sleep Walk" are dispensable, although their version of the Mar-Keys' "Last Night" shows off unexpected funk chops). Besides "Pipeline," "Monsoon," and the latter's flip side, another "Pipeline" self-knockoff called "Scotch High's" (sic), the only peaks in the set are "Banzai," featuring buzzbomb guitar runs and nimble piano, and the moody "Wayward Nile," an instrumental composed by future Pet Sounds lyricist Tony Asher.
--Ken Barnes
Product Description
French reissue pressing of the 1963 album features the 12 original tracks including 'Night Theme', Pipeline', 'Banzai', 'Sleepwalk', 'The Lonesome Road' plus the 2 bonus tracks 'Monsoon' and 'Scotch High's'. Magic Records. 2005.
--This text refers to an alternate
Audio CD
edition.