Binge

Southern Ontario - a haven, as everyone knows, for car thieves, misfits, drunks and rowdies. A murky centre of hillbilly menace, coupling shotguns and moonshine sprinkled with half-literates. Such is the impression one feels of that strange place when seen through the Binge's lenses: all instrumental surf and "music for the getaway," similar in sound and spirit to Shadowy Men and Huevos Rancheros, seen and done before but no less enjoyable for it. This being their first CD, despite having been around for nigh on eight years, the Binge has some catching up to do but are not without issue - besides three cassettes, two seven-inches also exist - the latest being the aptly-titled "A Thousand Bands Like Us." They may have a point, but who cares. Surf rock is cool and they do it well enough. Maybe not well enough to really stand out from a crowd of similar-sounding cowpoke/surf/psychobilly bands, but good enough to be worth a second listen.