The Australian surf craze outlasted its American counterpart by a few years. Aussie natives, the Atlantics were one of the premiere surf acts of the day, having an Australian number-one hit with "Bombora." On this, the group's first album, the Atlantics treat the listener to their unique take on the surf-soaked genre courtesy of a Shadows-like twin-guitar sound.

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The quirky "Bombora" begins with some rapid-fire drums - characteristic of rolling waves - before launching into the moody tune. The sleepy "Adventures in Paradise" is a little more subdued, aided by some island sounds comprising mostly of bird noises presumably made by band members. Like the album's first track, another minor tune, "The Gremlin King," has a tinge of Mozart's intricate classic style to it. The Latin-influenced "Dark Eyes" romps around at a bouncy pace while "Glass Walls" follows in the style of its predecessors. "Turista" is a peculiar little number that features a "call-and-answer" motif between guitars. "Surfer's Paradise" is probably the album's most memorable track, while "Blue Bottles" doesn't go anywhere musically. The Les Paul song, "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise," gets a surfier treatment, though fans will undoubtedly prefer the original. Both "Free Fall" and "Greensleeves" show off the lead guitarist's proficiency on the instrument. The album closes out with the Space-Age "Moonman," a "Telstar"-Esque tune with plenty of bends and trills.

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Bombora is a must for serious collectors - a rare gem chock-full of fresh sounds unique to the Australian experience. For casual listeners, though, the Atlantics' progressive twin-guitars may prove to be a bit too far removed from the clean American style of surf guitar. Yet again, if you are able to locate a copy at a low price (big if here), might as well pick it up.