As 2013 winds down we get the new Fruits de Mer annual in which FdM Keith finds a home for songs he really liked but couldn’t fit anywhere else during year.
I’d never heard of The Blue Giant Zeta Puppies and a quick search reveals them to be a UK based band (or more like a collective) that’s been around since 2010. They do a high energy Surf rocking cover of Barry Gray’s The Joe 90 Theme (60s UK sci-fi TV show), with lots of fun spaced out soaring electronics. AND they do a killer Surfin’ take on the Lost in Space theme.
Johnny Remember Me was a 1961 UK hit for John Leyton and apparently Joe Meek’s first #1. Astralasia give it the cosmic electronic treatment while simultaneously retaining the Rawhide-like Country-ish vibe of the original. But then we get a second contribution from Astralasia called Johnny In Dub in which they take the song and do exactly what the title suggests. Freaky!
The Raiders were a UK band whose 1964 song I Remember was never officially released. The guitarist, Trevor Midgley, went on to record as Beau for John Peel’s Dandelion label and has also contributed songs as Beau to a couple Fruits de Mer compilations. I Remember has a slow sort of ambient-Surf quality and is driven by a simple but lovely guitar melody.
The single will be available mid-November, and as usual this is vinyl ONLY, no CDs or downloads. If interested you better hurry because Fruits de Mer releases sell out QUICK!
For more information visit the Fruits de Mer Records web site at: http://www.fruitsdemerrecords.com
Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz