Drop Out With The Barracudas

Thematically, the Barracudas pushed hard a Southern California surf-rock image on their debut -- theres the cover photo, for one, and then theres a good chunk of the songs. Titles like the demi-hit singles "Summer Fun," "California Lament," "On the Strip," and "Surfers Are Back" are self-explanatory, while the deliciously campy "His Last Summer," detailing one dudes final big wave with Brit-accented asides, has got to win an award for being one of rocks best fake-tragedy stories. However, the Barracudas were more accurately a sharp balance between the harder-edge of new wave power pop and a freewheeling, mid-60s L.A. revivalism. Rather than peeling off Dick Dale or Ventures-style riffs, or even trying much for the Beach Boys early sound, the foursome combined some surf-tinged work with the Byrds ringing exuberance, Loves more frazzled early garage stomps, and the kind of punk collected on Nuggets. When it all works, it rises from mere tribute status to being its own groovy kick, often resembling a more specifically 60-fixated version of the Church. Everything is original on Drop Out, though sources of inspiration arent far off at any turn, however reused and remade. "Codeine" has a more epic swoop and cautionary feel than the Sonics gave to "Strychnine," and "I Saw My Death in a Dream Last Night" isnt quite the Electric Prunes, but the same sort of not-quite-borrowing crops up song for song, and not too badly at that. Some songs, such as "I Cant Pretend" and "This Aint My Time," have just enough of a crisp kick to remind you that they were recorded in 1980 rather than 15 years earlier. Generally speaking, though, one song title sums up the entire fun spirit of Drop Out: "I Wish It Could Be 1965 Again." ~ Ned Raggett