When I think of surf I think of the sunshine state of California yet, to my surprise, the surf princesses that are The Surfrajettes actually hail from the more northerly climes of Canada. Not that their geographical location really matters as their album “Roller Fink” is likely to appeal to all those who wish they could have sand in their shoes every day of the week.
There is no doubting that The Surfrajettes have a great deal of respect for the surf sound of yesteryear and they duly tune their guitars to the reverb radio sound that would have rocked the west coast of the USA in the early 1960s and use their mix of original songs and cover versions to fill two sides of pink – of course it had to be pink – vinyl.
The original songs – all instrumental like the rest of the songs on this album – make a fine soundtrack for a walk on the beach yet it this band’s downright playful interpretations of “Heart of Glass” and “Train Kept a Rollin’” that made me drop the stylus in the groove for the second time. I didn’t believe I could I think of “Heart of Glass” without pondering (sigh!) Debbie Harry but now I can.
If you want an album that makes you smile then “Roller Fink” will do just that. The Surfrajettes’ summer sounds may well be those of the past but most good things are these days. Cowabunga to the max!