Customer Reviews

Surf-N-Burn

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's heartbreaking to realize how few people have heard of the Blue Stingrays, much less know the names of the group members. The CD's cover photo, the liner notes, even including Side 1 and Side 2 for the song titles, all remind me of those great surf instrumental albums of the early sixties. You can almost hear the sound of the needle dropping onto the vinyl as the party sounds fade in, followed by the opening notes of "Monsoon." The appropriately named "Echo Park" is drenched in reverb, and sounds as fresh today as when it was first recorded. Covering "Goldfinger" was no doubt a tip of the hat to the Ventures, who have played that song in concert countless times. The 1-2 punch of "Surfer's Life" and "Stingray Stomp" elevate this CD to classic status. After the closing notes of the last song, "Super Hero," you can almost hear the scratchy fadeout of a vinyl album. Speaking of albums, "Let's Go!", "Surf Party" and "Valley Of The Rays" are virtually impossible to find. Maybe a major rock star could help to get the Blue Stingrays' back catalog reissued. I understand that Tom Petty is a big fan of the group!

Jokes on us!

While there may never have been a group called the Blue Stingrays, there probably should have been.

The artists (Petty's boys? Is that what I have heard?) go to great lengths to recreated the wonderful surf sound that made the Ventures and the Surfaris such fun.

The first cut is so authentic sounding, right down to the gradual fade in, I thought it WAS a vintage Ventures cut.

Later in the disc, the boys get frisky, and the sound becomes more of a rock/surf fusion...which is really a very good thing.

I love the fake liner notes, and the cover art is priceless.

I am so glad that the surf sound is appreciated to this day...and this album pays due homage to a great, and largely lost, sound.

I discovered the Blue Stingrays about a few years ago. I was moving my stuff into my new place and found the CD sitting on some used piece of furniture among other stuff. I listened to it and felt like I had just robbed a bank and gotten away with it. I was so lucky to find that CD and luckily, it had no owner. I asked around about them because it does not list the players or any other info - the playing sounds so fresh and new, especially the drummer. I've heard they are Tom Petty's Heartbreakers but I've also heard they are some younger guys from the Epitaph Label. I think my favorites are Surfer's Life, Echo Park and their version of Goldfinger. Tone is so drenched with richness!! So, I really don't know who these guys are, but they're phenomenal. I recommend the Blue Stingrays for anyone who is a lover of instrumental music, surf guitar, reverb or just damn good melodies and tone. It's definitely a classic in my music collection.

...that this is such a great cd. The band is the Heartbreakers minus Tom Petty. Mike Campbell is one of the few gifted guitarists who can change sound and direction. Not only is he a mastermind with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers he is amazing here. This is a very fun cd and I'm sure that the Heartbreakers had a ton of fun creating it. The liner notes are a spoof, so have fun reading about their "history", but don't spend too much time searching for those old albums!!!!! Great job to Mike and crew, and thanks for a very fun batch of music. I look forward to more side projects from these guys!!!!!!

Surf-N-Burn has some hip tracks. These dudes are definitly hot players. (Needless to say, the Heartbreakers are top level pros.) I dug all the tunes. But...when I listen to the King of the Surf Guitar, I hear about 5db higher energy levels (I'm not talking about sound pressure.) Listening to Dick Dale feels like Waimea Bay, the Blue Stingrays feel more like Huntington Beach. I'm not sorry I bought it. I've listened to it several times. I just wish they Stingers had clocked it up just a bit. Go on, buy it. It's pretty sweet.

First - the reviewer Ralf hit it dead on the head in his review, just by giving you guys some hints about who this band actually is. If you can't put 2 and 2 together, these guys are The Heartbreakers, i.e., Tom Petty's band. No real mystery here, and I had this fact disclosed years ago when this cd first came out. Sorry if that ruins any of the mystique for you.

Anyway, the other reviewers are right about this for the most part. It is flawless, excellent, fantastic surf music. Straight out of the Del-Fi school of surf music. Old-school, whatever you call it. It is beautiful, it is timeless, it is gorgeous, it is fantastic. Definitely pick this up.

Also, don't know if they are still doing it, but back when this cd first came out, it came with a blue "Blue Stingrays" guitar pick. Maybe it still does. If so, that's just another little added incentive for you to get this...or not. But I'm sure that if you pick this up, you won't regret it.

This is an excellent top-shelf classic old-school surf/spy reverb guitar CD. If you like reverb, you'll love this one. Not as hard-edge as Dick Dale & Link Ray nor as laid back as Aqua Velvets. Somewhere in between. There's not a bad song on this CD and the cool twist is that it has a very retro look and feel even though it was released in 1997 by Tom Petty's back-up band. The track list even refers to "Side 1" and "Side 2" and "33 1/2 RPM" as if it was originally a slab of vinyl. There's even the occasional needle scratch noise inserted between tracks. Very Cool. Man, If I could only find the guitar tabs to these songs!

Simply the best surf guitar I have heard. That the Blue Stingrays are determinedly anonymous, no matter. They have studied the canon and it is damned good. Opening with "Monsoon", the mood is sustained through a vigorous reading of "Goldfinger" and "Malibu Babylon". Dance floor barn-burners include "Moon Over Catalina" and "Stingray Stomp". Moodier pieces like "Surfer's Life" and "Zuma Sunset" emphasize the band's virtuosity by absence of extraneous elements. The arrangements and musicianship are top-notch throughout.

The Blue Stingrays have also paid homage to the genre by the straight-faced album graphics which had me going (yes, I am in the ad biz) until the joke is slyly given away on the back of the booklet.

This is some great surf music here. No throwaway tunes. The latter half starts to sound a little more rockabilly, but never loses it's surf sound. Don't expect fast, uppity tunes, the songs are mid paced to slower, but don't let that discourage you. It's all very catchy and great for kicking back to. A gambleless purchase.

No Surfing Wilburys here.
A refreshing splash of cool salt water, capturing the authentic excitement and romance of early 60s beach culture. The recording has a "live" feel and great acoustic soundstage and presence on all the tracks. Retro artwork playfully adds to the mystery of The Blue Stingrays. I have sworn an oath of secrecy under threat of breaking my surfboard, that I would never reveal their whereabouts or true identities (do a search if you must but I have given three clues ;)

As for their early "lost" albums such as "Valley Of The Rays" , perhaps a major rock star such as Tom Petty could fund the "reissueing".