Now that it's fucking freezing cold outside, remember Halloween? Think of those cool Fall evenings when it was just starting to get dark outside a little earlier, and when the leaves started to change colors. If you were in California at that time of year, I imagine it was still warm enough to go surfing. (Actually, isn't it warm enough to surf all year 'round in California?) Well, not in Minneapolis, where it's just barely warm enough to go swimming only two months out of the year.

Regardless of the weather, though, surf music is always kinda nice when it's done well, and the stuff on this album is executed nicely. Taking everything they know from old Dick Dale, Trashmen, and Ventures records, these guys play vintage surf-rock with skill. The twenty tracks that comprise A-Haunting are pulled off expertly, utilizing that classic surf-rock reverb drench and plenty of whammy bar action. The tracks are also, for the most part, performed in minor keys to perfect the ultimate spooky surf vibe. If this wasn't enough, you'll appreciate the fact that all the songs are kept under three minutes in length-- true surf-rock connoisseurs realize that the secret ingredient in this genre is brevity.

The final product is both a ghostly good time that'll keep your October beach parties rockin' 'til the break of dawn, and a nostalgic look back at the Autumn weather we won't see again for another nine months. Which is, in a year where even folks in Texas are getting their fair share of snow, a nice thing for folks all over the country.

-Ryan Schreiber

"Ghastly Stomp"

[Real Audio Stream]