The Mach IV - Eleki! Extra CD (Surf Cookie) 

Green Cookie has reissued this long outta print album, adding a live version of “Honda Beach Party” from a KFJC gig, and a whopping 7 brand new, newly recorded tunes that haven’t been released until now. If you aren’t familiar with the band, they are/were a supergroup featuring Mel Waldorf (Los Mel-Tones and Meshugga Beach Party), Ferenc Dobronyi (Pollo Del Mar and Frankie & The Pool Boys), Johnny Hamiltone (The Berzerkers) and Shig ”33“ Komiyama (Shig & Buzz). The songs are a traditional surf lovers dream - great performances and tone from everyone involved, with original songs that span the gamut of their influences. I could definitely hear some Lively Ones, The Astronauts, The Atlantics, The Ventures and even some great tunes influenced by the shores and swaying breezes of the Hawaiian islands. It’s very cool to hear the Dobronyi original “Teke, Teke, Teke” with it’s Astronauts reverb drip - it’s so great the song has been a standard with just about every band he’s played in, including Frankie & The Pool Boys and The Tomorrowmen. The live KFJC cut is a nice inclusion, recorded so cleanly it meshes perfectly with the other studio cuts on the disc. Moving on to the new tunes, well they’re all just as incredible as the original album cuts - absolutely no filler here! “Twistin’ With Tina” and “Betty & Veronica” are loaded with drippy reverb - you could tell they had a blast pushing max reverb on these tunes. The closer, “Bigfoot”, exchanges the drip for some primal, gut-rippin’ fuzz and crunchy bass guitar. Such an amazing disc - if you have the original disc you’ll want this for the bonus cuts and new liner notes, and if you don’t have it yet, JUST GET IT! 

Tracks: Astro Boy - Il Eko Eleki - Beach Bound - Fogcutter - Whangaroa - Ten Gallon Allen - Two Angels - Lemon Twist - As August Ends... - Belle Of The Ball - New York - Starlight Stroll - What's In The Trunk, Harry? - Teke, Teke, Teke - New Wave - No Surf Today (EXTRA TRACKS) - Honda Beach Party - Bedlam - The Coast Road - Top Down, Bottoms Up - Shooting Star - Twistin' With Tina - Betty & Veronica - Big Foot