Album Review:

The Hot Doggers were the studio-only creation of producer Terry Melcher and future Beach Boy Bruce Johnston along with session musicians Leon Russell, Steve Douglas, Hal Blaine Tommy Tedesco, Glenn Campbell, Carole Kaye, and Billy Strange. In the Hot Doggers' only album, Surfin’ U.S.A., the group covers 11 popular surf tunes of the day, with only one original, ‘Quasimodo.’ 

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The record opens up with a lively version of the Beach Boys’ ‘Surfin’ U.S.A.’ that features heavier instrumentation and vocals than the original. A passable cover of Dick Dale’s 1960 single, ‘Let’s Go Tripping’ is followed by the Marketts’ ‘Balboa Blue,’ a minor chart success a year earlier. An updated version of ‘Surfin’’ rocks harder than the Beach Boys version ever did, while ‘The Original Surfer’s Stomp’ adds a trombone to the ensemble. ‘Pipeline’ is an enjoyable cover of the Chantays’ original, though it is tarnished by a few mishaps from the lead guitar. ‘Misirlou’ is passable, with the saxes being a little too prominent in the mix. ‘Surfin’ Safari’ is perhaps the album's most memorable vocal moment while ‘Surfer’s Stomp’ offers nothing new. The Ventures’ ‘Walk Don’t Run’ gets a heavier treatment while a peculiarly placed cover of another Dick Dale number, ‘Peppermint Man,' is a loud mish-mash of sounds, none of which sound too surfy. The album’s only original song, Bruce Johnston’s ‘Quasimoto,' boasts some excellent playing from the session musicians and is a good closer.

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Although the album is mostly instrumental, the four vocal tracks are well-executed but not necessarily essential for casual fans. Still, this record remains a sought-after item for anyone interested in the Melcher-Johnston relationship.