The Boss Martians - Venus & The Western Sky Vinyl 12” EP / CD-EP (MuSick / No-Count) 

This 6-song EP represents their first surf/instrumental release since 2001’s Move! LP. The first thing you’ll notice is the stunning cover art, expertly done by Scott Sugiuchi, which is the perfect accompaniment to the music. The band returns to surf with a bold, mostly aggressive sound that channels the twang, tone and rawness of Dick Dale on several tunes, but with a definitely spaghetti western vibe as well. The influence of Dick Dale is probably most obvious on “The Hanged Man”, but unlike many DD recordings, this sounds like a band effort. Sure, Evan Foster’s guitar is up front leading the way, but this truly feels like the contributions of the bass, drums and horns are equally prominent. With the current line-up of the band, it’s sax player Bryan Manzo that brings a new sound and energy that gives the songs a sound that nicely bridges the early 60’s surf sound with a modern rawness and power. Bassist Erik Foster brings a punkier edge to the band, and drummer Nick Schultz is as solid as you can get. Of course, the big reason the band has so many fans all over the globe is down to the amazing, talented fingers of Evan Foster, and his work on this album is definitely among the best he’s ever done - it’s a true showcase of his mastery of the surf guitar. 

Tracks: The Sender - Venus & The Western Sky - El Coyote - Gone Wild - Luna De Sangre - The Hanged Man