Swingin' Singles

One of the great bands of the brief '90s surf revival, the Bomboras are probably one of the most talented groups to ever play this genre. They may not have lasted long, but their stay did include a bunch of riveting performances featuring hot go-go dancers, extremely geeky jokes, occasional fistfights and their instruments set on fire. A regular feature of their show included the keyboardist standing on his organ while playing it, before dousing it with lighter fluid and setting it alight. This collection of their singles, all originally released on stylish 7-inches, gives the first-time Bomboras listener a good idea of the band's mastery of the surf form. "Forbidden Planet" and "Moon Patrol" are lush, murky, reverb-drenched stompers from a far-out, undiscovered world, while "Drag Strip Tease," one of their few vocal numbers, is recorded so that it really sounds like it's from the drag strip era. Sometimes the retro-recording style works, but other times it would be nicer to have the guitars (there are three of them) sizzle a little more. This is a problem with a lot of records put out on Dionysus. The recording process seems to have dulled the music a bit. Still, this collection of their singles is among the best records the Bomboras ever put out.