The Toads were a band from Lawrenceville, New Jersey. They formed out of two other Lawrenceville bands, the Davy And The Badmen (who released their own non-surf album in 1963 called Wanted!) and The Chessmen. The Toads only pressing was limited to just 150 copies, making it one of the rarest and most desirable underground surf albums out there. 

​

'Morpheus' is a superbly wet and eerie surf instrumental. It's actually kind of amazing how much the lead guitarist can pull out of one simple string and limited ability. An equally cool rendition of Lee Hazelwood's 'Movin' breezes along in the style of the Astronauts'. 'Stranger on the Shore' shows a more upbeat groove from the group. Santo and Johnny's 'Sleepwalk' is a rather mediocre cover version of the familiar tune - dude, tune your guitar! 'Another Astronauts tune, 'Baja,' gets a low-fi makeover while the odd inclusion 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow' again hangs out mainly on one string. 'Checkmate' is a strong (original?) composition. The Dovells' familiar 'You Can't Sit Down' shouldn't be a surprise as it was one of the more-covered garage band tunes of the era. I'm not sure where 'A Love Affair is a Wonderous Thing' originated, but it translates as a fine surf tune. The percussive 'New Wrinkle' is about as tight as a loose-knit sweater but is enjoyable nonetheless. The group feels right at home with the brooding melody of the Pyramids' 'Penetration.' The smooth 'Ebb Tide' works well with its splashy cymbals arrangement. 'Medley' sounds like it was recorded on a different date/location than the other tracks and comprises of 'Money,' Wipe Out,' and 'What I'd Say'. 

​

The Toads is one of the brighter gems among the local private press surf releases. 'Morpheus' is certainly the best out of all the tracks, and for most surf fans, it alone will suffice. However, for the serious collector, the Toads' sole release is a treasure waiting to be unearthed - no matter how novice it's sound.