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Coffin Daggers Eleki Album Review by Gary Hill I previously reviewed another set from this act. In that review I said that the band was along the lines of a modern Ventures in some ways. Well, with this new instrumental album, I might take that "modern" label away. This really does feel most of the time like a retro surf guitar album. It seems like most of it could have been lifted right out of a previous era. I was (and still am) a big fan of The Ventures, so this is right in my comfort zone. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2020 Volume 5. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2020.

Track by Track Review

Black Sand Beach I love the classy surf guitar sound on this. The cut is a fun romp, and a great opening salvo. This really feels like it could have been released in the late 50s or early 60s.

That Sweet Girl Equally retro in tone, there is plenty of surf guitar in the mix here, too. The horn on the song lends a bit of a 60s James Bond music vibe. Whatever you call this, it's another effective instrumental that has a real "blast from the past" tone to it.

Flowers in the Rain We get more killer surf guitar on this number, too. It has a drum solo in the middle of it, and is another slab of retro goodness.

Guitar Komori Uta The organ is a great touch on this piece of music. Of course, the guitar really sings and drives it. There are some killer melodies built into this one.

Ringo Mura Kara A bit more hard rocking than some of the others here, the surf guitar sounds are still in the driver's seat on this. The number has a great energy and flow.

Shinonome Bushi Somehow this feels a bit more contemporary, while still conveying a lot of that retro surf sound. It's a fun romp.

Chidori No Kyoku The organ drives the opening (and some other points) of this thing. The cut fires out into some smoking hot surf guitar music from there. The energy and intensity is really ramped up on this number. The tune is one of my favorites here, really. The mid-track jam is on fire. Be sure to pay attention to the bass work, but I doubt you can miss it.

Murasaki No Yoake There are some trippy elements to this one. It has a little section that calls to mind "The Twilight Zone" soundtrack. The organ brings some of the most soaring moments of the cut. This is another highlight of the set.

Namida No Jujiro Another fun retro rocker, this isn't a big change, but it's quite effective.

Ginza Lights This comes in with a mellower introduction. Then it powers out from there to some more of the magic we've heard throughout this classy set.

Yozora No Hoshi This rocking number is another fun one. The organ is a little annoying to me, though. Rather than add to it, as it does everywhere else, it seems to get in the way.

Yume Wa Yoru Here we get a balladic cut that seems packed with emotion. It's still a surf rock styled cut. It just lands on the mellow side of things.

Monkey Crazy I love the harder edged guitar sound on this song. The number drives along and still conveys that classy surf sound.

Kojo No Tsuki There is a real change here. The cut comes in with a psychedelic, trippy vibe to it. More traditional Asian melodies emerge as the song evolves. This works through some changes as it grows. There is so much class and style here as the guitar paints musical pictures. This even gets into something like klezmer music for the closing segment. Not only is this the most "different" number here, it's also one of the highlights.

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