Billy Strange & The Challengers

Here's a rather sedate album given the players. The Challengers: one of the leading surf bands of the 1960's, with their 1962 album Surfbeat being the biggest selling surf album of all time. Billy Strange: who started out as an early pioneer of rockabilly, and moved into session guitar work in the 60's. Strange was also a member of the "Wrecking Crew", performing for The Beach Boys and Jan & Dean, The Monkees and numerous other pop bands in the studio. He also worked as an arranger for Nancy Sinatra, was a songwriter and collaborator for Elvis, Played anonymous lead guitar for The Ventures, and released numerous solo albums in the 60's such as this one.

This 1967 album is varied, but the orchestration is dated and lacks the guitar power one would expect from so many notables. There are a few numbers that rock, but I guess this album was a little too long after the peak of surf music for it to have the same kind of feel. A lot of people describe the Challenger's as sellouts, Dominic Priore saying they became "an easy-listening version of surf music, like wallpaper." Listening to albums like this, it's hard to argue with him, but there are still some charming elements, namely Strange's guitar playing, so I'm putting it up here.

Side 1:
01 - Work Song
02 - Somewhere My Love
03 - What If It Should Rain
04 - Love Is
05 - Bitter Taste Of Love
06 - Milord

Side 2:
07 - Can I Trust You
08 - Strangers In The Night
09 - Cast Your Fate To The Wind
10 - Stranger On The Shore
11 - Pretty Flamingo
12 - Solé Solé Solé