​For the final installment in the Fink canon, Usher and Co. surprised the Ratfink world by lifting a bar that no one even knew existed and instilled new life into the series with an album of unprecedented quality.

 

From the get-go, the recordings are noticeably slicker than any of the previous two Mr. Gasser albums. Gone are the days of mixed choruses and abhorrent vocal mixes, as each instrument and voice here is clear and defined. Of course, that’s not to say that the oddball humor didn’t stay intact. Songs such as ‘There’s a Dog-Gone Ding in My Ding-Dong Board’ or ‘Ratfink High’ sit comfortably among the previous episodes in the Ratfink franchise though a bevy of excellent instrumentals helps to tone down the weirdness. Also, after a one-album absence, Bob Klimes returns to the band delivering most of the leads, which is a nice nod to the Weirdos’ earliest sounds.

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The album opens up with a near-perfect surf instrumental, ‘Surfink,’ which could’ve sat comfortably on any Super Stocks album - now, this is the essence of surf music! A weird, Beach Boys-styled ‘Well, I’m Goin’’ is the first vocal number of the record, complete with a wailing sax and catchy falsetto line from Klimes. ‘Surfer Ghoul’ is almost unbearable with its dumb monster lyrics and a wobbly vocal delivery, while ‘Doin’ the Surfink’ picks up the slack and features a timpani among the other studio instruments. The second instrumental, ‘Little Fink Surfs Again,’ boasts some excellent drumming from Earl Palmer. ‘Ratfink High’ is hysterical, while ‘Phantom Surfer’ features some exquisite guitar work from Jerry Cole. ‘There’s a Dog-Gone Ding in My Ding-Dong Board’ is a laughable effort but ultimately sinks, while ‘Big Bad Surfink’ is the story of a down-and-out ratfink and is reminiscent of the ‘Ballad of Eefin’ Fink.’ Of all the tracks on the album, the instrumentals are by far the most proficient, and the wistful ‘Surfink Blues’ is no exception. The final song, ‘Finksville U.S.A.,’ makes up for the shortcomings of the last two vocal numbers with a great groove, satisfactory backing vocals, and a falsetto from Mr. Klimes.

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Surfink! offers good production quality, especially in comparison to its predecessors; the playing is conspicuously less frantic, and it appears that someone actually took the time to write out most of the arrangements this time around. However, while the production values may have been high, the album does little to overcome its bizarre premise (and understandably so). “ Surfink! is a fitting closing to the Ratfink saga, yet for any non-fink fan (most of us), the few instrumentals are the most valuable part of the disc.