Album Review:

In the wake of their initial success, the Marketts' second studio album was released rather quietly and without much fanfare in the summer of 1963. The only single that appeared, 'Woody Wagon' b/w 'Cobra,' faded into oblivion without so much as creating a dent in the charts. Non-reflective of its limited commercial success, the music in Take to Wheels is far superior to that of their first album. With the addition of horns, percussion, and strong material, the whole album is a fantastic example of instrumental hot-rod rock. 

A couple of beeps on the horn open up 'Woody Wagon' - one of the strongest tracks on the album. 'Limbo Buggy' is a stomping number with handclaps and prominent percussion reminiscent of the Four Seasons. 'Cobra' has a tinge of Eastern modes, followed by another strong track, 'Night Capades,' which highlights some of L.A.'s finest session musicians as they trade-off solos. 'No Wheels' also lays rubber, while a cover of Jan & Dean's 'Sting Ray' turns out to be one of the album's high points. 'Cha-Cha Buggy' recalls the prominent stomping sound on their first album, Surfer's Stomp, while trombone slides ingeniously evoke the roar of a car engine in 'Twice Pipes.' The tranquil, '(Parked) Under the Stars' is a nice breath of fresh air between the fast and furious tempos of its surroundings, and 'Bucket Seats' is a wonderful instance of the surf instrumental at its best. The Marketts relax their style a bit by the end of side two as 'Night Cruisin' offers another look at the equanimity the group was fully capable of. 'Makin' Rubber' is a perfect closing to an album of strong material.

Take to Wheels may not have boasted any charting hits like the title tracks from “Surfer’s Stomp,” “Out of Limits,” or even their 1966 cover of the ‘Batman Theme,’ but this album does hold some of the catchiest melodies, and tuneful productions in the whole instrumental subset of the surf genre. There are some really clever effects and musical nuances on this one. After a rather uneven first full-length release, Micheal Z Gordon and the other members of the Wrecking Crew really stepped up their album game and released one of the most unexpectedly cohesive surf albums of 1963. I’d recommend the stereo version if you can find one because if you’re like me, you can appreciate the individual parts more with the ubiquitous 60s stereo hard-panning.