THAT
IS RARE reviews
NEW GANDY DANCER
The Magazine For Rock Instrumental Music
Issue #48 November 1996
DOC & THE PODS That Is Rare 7" Vinyl
EP Ho-Ho Records USA
And if we thought the last one was good, this
is even better again! The Pods just storm along on this rollickingly good
six track, red vinyl set with great Ventures' tributes like Pike, Kyoto
Doll and Man From Uncle plus In The Sticks, Pellis (resoundingly
good) and LooseLipSyncShip. Each cut has really to be savoured -
all uptempo, shagging along merrily and, the main point, tidily done. The
band is tight, professional and handle their gear with expertise - they
haven't picked obvious 'WDR' type instrumentals but rarer material. What
more can we say? Find of 1996? Even though some of their material was cut
'93/'94...maybe. **** (Davy)
UNKNOWN REVIEW SOURCE
1988
DOC AND THE PODS - That Is Rare 7"
EP (Ho-Ho)
Six songs, red vinyl, no vocals, and a huge comedown
from their last two EPs. It all sounds like TV theme songs, and I can't
decide if it's more like "Hawaii Five-O" or "The Munsters." Two summers
ago I really fucked up some repro patches at work 'cause I was busy enjoying
how Doc and the Pods' "Sometimes" and "Teenage Head" were stuck in my brain;
it's entirely possible that I'll fuck up something at work tomorrow, but
it won't be because of this.
INKWIRE
1988
Doc & the Pods-That is Rare (HoHo)
Hey, dudes, if you're missing the ocean and you
need to catch some bitchen waves, the only band in this moisture-forsaken
city is Doc & the Pods. Their latest 6-song EP features some of the
snappiest board music this side of Redondo Beach. "Pike is a multi-media
manic fun groove and "Kyoto Doll" is your basic surf-funk meets The Munsters
at a Ventures reunion. Soon to find their way into the Pods mythology,
however, are (A) their absolutely inspired cover of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."
theme (an easy way to work themselves into my nostalgic heart), and (B)
the wildly frenetic "Loose Lip Sync Ship," sounding like a surf-spaghetti
western version of the theme from "F-Troop." This 7" is red hot, as evidenced
by the scorching colored vinyl. Shawn Norton's production is sharp and
perfectly layered to achieve that legendary "Wall of Pods" sound. Bryce
plays psycho-organ to sense-shredding perfection, Maat's guitar is crisp
and clean with lots of caffeine to keep you up all night, Kip's bass throbs
like a pacemaker near a microwave oven, and Doc pounds out an exquisite
bottom. You'll regret it all your days if you miss this wave. -Brian
Baker
