The Atlantics were Australia's answer to the Shadows and the ubiquitous surf sound widespread in the early sixties. They were, not withstanding, very accomplished musicians which set them apart from other bands of the ilk and held their own in comparison. Becoming popular along the Northern beaches of Sydney they were signed to CBS and scored a hit with Bombora, the name of a surfing team, which propelled them to national prominence. Remaining as an instrumental group throughout the next two years, and releasing numerous 45s and albums, their popularity waned as the 'beat' invasion sound began to take over. They started to play with many differing styles and record with solo artists to arrest their slide, probably the most interesting effort was their 45, a throbbing punk classic, Come On/You Tell Me Why which featured Johnny Rebb on vocals. As well they recorded an EP at this time I Put A Spell On You, having left CBS for Sunshine. It is an interesting attempt at a psychedelic sound, something that only a few well known Australian bands experimented with at that particular time. Along with the 45 Come On and the EP they are two of the most sought-after recordings by collectors of sixties punk.
One of the greatest instrumental surf groups did not even hail from America. The Atlantics, despite their name, were an Australian combo who not only emulated the sound of California surf music, but ranked among its very best practitioners. Featuring a reverb-heavy, extremely "wet" sound, the Atlantics attacked original material, standards, and movie themes with a nervy blend of precision and over-the-top intensity. As in Dick Dale's music, touches of Middle Eastern influences can be detected in the rhythms of melodies (some members of the group claimed Greek and Egyptian heritage). Their second single, "Bombora," went to the top of the Australian charts in 1963, and the follow-up, "The Crusher," was also a big hit.After several albums and a few more equally fine instrumental singles, the Atlantics became a vocal group in the last half of the '60s, but are most renowned for their instrumental recordings.
This is by request...but I´m thinking about posting some early garage roots too. Like I did at the beggining of the blog, yes, some surf music too, why not, of my favourites. Dedicated to Mar. Dig it.LINK: BABY BLUE ! ! !
This is a bit cornball compared to their best stuff -- a few of the numbers are surfizations of standards like "Secret Love," and though most of the material is original, the frequent allusions to folk melodies sometimes make this sound like the kind of surf band you'd find playing in a Greek restaurant. There's plenty of nifty guitar work, though, and only a couple of cuts are on The CBS Singles Collection, making this a nifty supplement to that compilation. The original Australian LP is far harder to find than the German CD reissue, which adds some bonus cuts.
