The name says it all: the Trashmen were the sickest frat party/psycho surf group to ever win a battle of the bands with their buzz-bomb version of the West Coast sound--and they were from Minneapolis! Led by singer-drummer Steve Wahrer, the group scored big in '64 with the crazed teen anthem "Surfin' Bird" (also memorably used in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket"). Comprised of 16 tracks recorded in Texas--some in stereo, some even in tune--this collection of recently rediscovered trashy gems might as well have been marketed as an instant party. The highlights here are "Ghost Riders" and "Keep A-Knockin'," raucous tracks that will have audiophiles sweating over the well-being of their woofers and tweeters. The Bird is still the word--just ask the Cramps. --amzon
This is such a weird and rad album! The Trashmen do not sound like auteurs of the musical form in any way–they're fucking around with sounds and having an awesome time. While this is playing your brain has no choice but to get all sunshiney 'n surfhappy. "Heartbeat" is honeysyrup sweet...they've got some funny bob-dylan-cool thing going in "Mind Your Own Business".
