ALBUM REVIEW: Captain Rico and the Ghost Band
– The Forgotten Memory Of The Beaches (Spider Music)
Surf-rock isn’t top of many people’s most-listened-to genres, but maybe they haven’t heard French trio Captain Rico and the Ghost Band.
A Toulouse-based outfit comprising Damien Ricaud (guitar), Yves Manceau (percussion) and Ludovic Timoteo (bass), they will transport you to another time.
They make vintage-sounding rock ‘n’ roll influenced by The Shadows, Dick Dale, The Beach Boys and The Ventures, and this is their debut album.
Their raison d’etre is recreating the carefree attitude of the early ’60s, and the surfer culture that they adore.
For all they’re from the south of France, rather than Southern California, they pull it off with aplomb.
There’s no language barrier, as the songs are all instrumentals, and surf music is an international language, right?
This is an album which is deeply nostalgic, atmospheric and exciting, all at the same time.
It’s full of reverb-heavy guitar, wandering, throbbing bass and shuffling, rolling drums, and I love it.
Surf-rock
Surf-rock is obviously the over-riding style across 12 mid-to-fast-paced tracks, though there are flashes of garage fuzz and psychedelia (Hang-glider) for good measure.
Tunes like Tame The Wave, standout track Epic Wave and Giant Turtle Is The Memory Of The Beaches have a real surf and sand vibe, even if you don’t know an ankle slapper from a bomb.
Elsewhere, you could easily imagine V Interceptor being used to soundtrack a chase scene in an episode of a spy thriller like Mission: Impossible.
Check out the video for Mexican Road Trip, where the music follows a longboarder’s descent through a perilous mountain pass.
This album takes you to a carefree time full of beaches, laughter and the weight of a blazing sun – an era when life was much simpler. 7/10.
- Find Captain Rico and the Ghost Band on Bandcamp HERE.
