Album Review:

When one thinks of those producers associated with the initial surf craze, seldom do the names Art Laboe, and Paul Buff come up. And yet, in their own little corner of California, these two did come up with their own little slice of surf pop. In 1963, producer Art Laboe approached musical entrepreneur Paul Buff about recording an album of surf-themed bongo numbers. Working on a tight budget, it seems that Buff then proceeded to record all of the instruments himself with only a little help from guitarist Dave Aerni. Laboe repackaged a few of Preston Epps’ minor hits, and voila! Surfin Bongos was a complete Lp!

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A cover of the Surfaris’ ‘Wipe Out’ opens up the album, with the signature drum breaks replaced with ecstatic successes of bongo strikes. Like the aforementioned track, the Preston Epps number ‘Bongo Rock’ also fills the stops with rapid pounds on the skins, while ‘Last Night’ offers more of the same. ‘Blue Skies’ is an updated cover of the jazz standard. The bongos finally take a backseat in ‘The Happy Surfer,’ a fairly strong track featuring a conversation between an organ and saxophone. The spotlight is once again handed over to the album’s featured instrument in ‘Baja Bongos’ and ‘Surfin’ Bongos.’ ‘Bustin’ Surfboards’ is a cover of the Tornadoes’ 1962 song and after a six-track absence, Preston Epps returns with the rock and roll ‘Bongo Bongo Bongo.’ After a plethora of bongo-themed numbers, the familiar ‘Surfin’ U.S.A’ is a welcome addition, more for its break in direction than for its musicality. By the time the needle reaches Preston Epps’ ‘Bongo Party,’ it seems that the guys at Original Sound were simply repeating the same track under different titles. The 1950s-styled ‘Forget It’ closes the album and offers nothing new.

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Surfin’ Bongos is a prime example of a small-time label trying to cash in on the latest fad. That is not to say, however, that the record's not without its moments. It seems that most 60s buyers took the suggestion of the album’s final track suggests, to “forget it.”