Album Review:

Go Sound of the Slots was released in November 1964 and was one of the last surf-rock albums of the decade. Instead of trying to instill new energy into the surf, hot rod, or bike genres, the executives at the Revell toy company believed it would be worthwhile to add a soundtrack to a whole new hobby; slot car racing. Indeed, Usher initially had some trouble getting into the spirit of the recording, later admitting in interviews that he “never took it seriously” and that “it was only done for the money.” According to surf music biographer Stephen J. McParland, when Chuck Girard was called in to supply the leads, his first remark was, “I can’t believe it’s come to this!” In fairness, although the album’s concept may have been a stretch for everyone involved, the ensuing music turned out to be of surprising quality. While a few tunes were merely rewrites of previously released Hondells tunes, the new numbers are handled strikingly well, punctuating the surf rock genre with a peculiarly satisfying conclusion.

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‘Lotus 23’ is basically a rewrite of ‘Little Deuce Coupe’ with an identical chorus while ‘Fastest Little Racer’, a duet between Chuck Girard and fellow Castell, Joe Kelly, borrows its influence from the Righteous Brothers. ‘My Ferrari G.TO.’ is a retooled ‘My Little Bike’ while 'Wait ‘Till Next Time’ borrows its melody from ‘The Wild One,’ both off of Hondells albums released earlier. ‘Slot City’ is a ‘Surf City’-type number, and ‘My Little Slot Coupe’ is another duet featuring Girard and Kelly. ‘Cobra’ finally breaks new ground, though reminiscent of the Brian Wilson 1963 production, ‘He’s a Doll,’ recorded by the Honeys. ‘My Baby Digs Slot Car Races’ is a fun piece of teenage surf pop, while another Hondells number, “Two Wheel Show Stopper’ becomes ‘Little Stockers.’ The album finished with a rewrite of the ever-useful ‘Hot Rod High’ entitled ‘Reckless Rookie.’

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Go Sound of the Slots is a charming listen for an album with such a bizarre concept. The new hot rod tunes, ‘Lotus 23,’ ‘Cobra,’ and ‘My Baby Digs Slot Car Racing’, all boast infectious hooks and top-notch production while the retooled tracks sit well between them. Stereo copies are especially well-mixed. That said, if you can locate a copy, this is a worthwhile album, even just for a few chuckles.