Maraca Five-O

Out of the twin surf meccas of Denver and Boulder, CO, comes Maraca Five-O, a four-piece instrumental surf/spy/various combo. Picked up along the way are disparate elements of South Western mariachi, some rockabilly and a touch of punk thrown in on top. Obvious comparisons are easy to list off: Huevos Rancheros, Shadowy Men, the Ventures, the Shadows and so on. There is a familiar and comfortable feel to Five-O, in its brooding reverb and twang-y guitar plucking, not to mention the wholesomeness of early '60s American beach culture. There is a definite ambient, spacy mood to the album, especially on "Dance, Elaina‚" with its Gypsy exoticism, and on "Tube City, Pakistan's South Asian Mystery." A fine accompaniment to any road trip.