Lee Hazlewood's Woodchucks - "Cruisin' For Surf Bunnies" (1964/2018)

The label Light In The Attic has among other things released a number of fine reissues of some of Lee Hazlewood's albums. When they dug around in LHI's archive (Lee Hazlewood Industries, a record label he started and managed for some creative years in the 60s and early 70s), they came across a tape bearing the name Woodchucks. It soon became apparent that it was a pseudonym for Lee himself and his legendary studio band The Wrecking Crew. The music was recorded in 1964, and was instrumental surf music. Left over studio time was probably used, as no official studio booking for the band was found in the archive. People who knew Lee at the time, and who have now heard the music for the first time, think it is too well done to be a demo, but lacks the overdubs you usually find on finished albums. So somewhat unclear what the purpose of the album was. Some think it was just a cheap attempt by Lee to get a piece of the surf music wave that was happening at the time, and make some easy money. Who knows.

Personally, I think it's a fantastic album. A lead guitar that plays a fairly simple melody, with a reverb usually maxed beyond all boundaries, and a rhythm section that keeps it rather simple. Probably music any newly hatched teenage band could play. Nevertheless, I immediately fell for it. The songs are soaked in an almost surreal mood, sometimes bordering to the bizarre, and you almost want to laugh. Sure, there might be better surf music out there, and certainly the sound is extremely similar throughout the album, but knowing Lee is behind the music gives it an extra dimension.

Suzi Jane Hokom had a surf band for a while, she also became a producer at LHI, and Lee's girlfriend. As I understand it, it's her and her band colleagues on the album's cover. All of the songs are previously unreleased in these original versions, but two of them were released by Woodchucks as singles, and a bunch of them have been released by other well-known surf bands and artists, including John Paul Jones, before Zeppelin. A really fun album, and just as fun was that it was $10 cheaper in my local record store than on Amazon, which is unusual. If you want to read more about LHI's history, Light In The Attic has also released the LHI box There's A Dream I've Been Saving, in which a nice book is included, filled with photos from the LHI time and texts / interviews with people who were part of it. Fun and and fascinating reading.

Tracklist

Side A
1. Movin'
2. Baja Pt. 1
3. Bangkok Cock Fight
4. Johnny October
5. The Nomads
6. The Man

Side B
1. Angry Generation
2. Baja Pt. 2
3. Quiet Village
4. Batman
5. Tower Sarong
6. Crickets Of Karachi