Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
5 Stars!!!
This is a splendid album! The songs are incredibly well written and arranged, and the whole CD flows very well. There's a great deal of western and surf and reverb here that are just plain compelling. Musically as solid as they come, Bang Howdy Partner is a must have. I'm a bit prejudiced perhaps, because Adam Myers and I mastered it, and I only work with bands I like a lot. When you listen to songs as much as is required to master or mix and they still sound fresh and compelling when the work is done, well then, you really have something special. Highly recommended. - http://www.reverbcentral.com
As you can probably imagine from the title, Urban Surf Kings have gone in a different direction with this 15-song disc. Influences this time 'round are spaghetti westerns and Tex/Mex melodies, embellished with all sorts of cool textures, twang and reverb. In my book there really aren't enough discs like this on the market, so it's really cool that the Urban Surf Kings have stepped forward to deliver such a great set of tunes. - http://www.dblcrown.com
May 21, 2008
This week's Chart Sizzler Award goes to a bit of an underdog, as Urban Surf Kings' Bang Howdy Partner beats out perennial Canadian campus radio favourite Young And Sexy for the top debut. Bang Howdy Partner hits the chart at #17, while Young And Sexy's Arc arrives at #20. Another Mint band, The Ramblin' Ambassadors, debut at #26 with Vista Cruiser Country Squire. Other new entries include El Perro Del Mar's From The Valley To The Stars at #28 and Boris' Smile at #38. Violet Archers' Sunshine At Night — featuring former Rheostatic Tim Vesely supported by members of Weeping Tile, Wayne Omaha and Great Aunt Ida — comes in at #44. - http://www.chartattack.com
Urban Surf Kings Bang Howdy Partner
I think this is the Kings' 7th surf cd and they're still going very strong. "Urban" no, this is mostly Spaghetti Western and Desert Reverb Twang. My favorites include "Hrundi Goes West", the silly but fun "Phantom Riders of the Back Lot", the smoldering "And the Horse You Road In On" and "Johnny Ronco's Last Stand". A definite top 10 surf cd of '08. - http://forums.metacritic.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/196108/m/1770084315/p/2
URBAN SURF KINGS Surf Vs The Flying Saucers (USK International)
In the world of the Urban Surf Kings, nasty flying saucers from outer space are destroying the planet and surf music seems to be the only way to fight back. Zowie! These guys throw everything they can at the evil invaders, including tons o' surf, some western twang ("Rocket Ranch"), some sneaky spy bits ("Operation H.O.D.A.D."), a righteous sonic fuzz fest ("Zombie Road Trip") and a new, hip-shakin', dance craze ("Go Go Island"). They even visit epic soundtrack land with "Valley Of The Kings," which would have been perfect if Ben Hur had been racing surf boards rather than chariots. Whether or not they’re successful in stopping the aliens (although the final cut "Saucers In The Sunset" seems to suggest they are), this is a fine second full-length release from Dartmouth, NS's kings of surf. Look to the skies! Dan "The Mouth" Lovranski
- www.chartattack.com
Discography
USK Releases:
Bang Howdy Partner (April 2008, full length CD)
Live in Hell (Nov 2005, OmOm, Italy, full length CD)
Snowman Rumble (2004, CDep)
Surf vs the Flying Saucers (2004, full length CD)
Get Instro-Mental! with the Urban Surf Kings (2000, full length CD)
Urban Surf Kings Play el Toro! & Other Favourites (1999, 4 song 7 inch, out of print)
The Man From S.U.R.F. (1997, CDep, out of print)
Surfin' Santa (1996, cassette ep, out of print)
Looking Sharp (1996, cassette ep, out of print)
Compilations:
Seasonal Favorites vol. 2 (2007, Double Crown Records, USA, compilation CD)
Seasonal Favorites vol. 1 (2006, Double Crown Records, USA, compilation CD)
Wild Sazanami Beat vol 3 (2006, Sazanami, Japan, comp CD)
Beyond the Sea (2005, Cordelia Records, UK, comp CD)
NESMA Live (2005, USA)
Evil Fuzz: Davie Allan Tribute (2005, OmOm, Italy, tribute CD)
Hair (2004, OmOm, Italy, comp CD)
Charlie Does Surf: tribute to the Clash (2004, Rickshaw Records, USA, comp CD)
Lemme Take You to the Beach: Frank Zappa tribute (2004, Cordelia Records, UK, tribute CD)
Solid Gold Hits (2004, Double Crown Records, USA, comp CD)
The Continental Magazine #10 (2004, USA)
Locos Instrumentals! (2003, Isotonic Records, Mexico, compilation CD)
Jesus Christ Surferstar (2003, OmOm, Italy, compilation CD)
American Graffiti Revisited (2002, OmOm, Italy)
The Continental Magazine #9 (2001, USA)
Better Than an Average Weekend (2001, Deep Eddy Records, USA)
The Continental Magazine #8 (2000, USA)
Swivlin' Wahine (2000, Scully Records, USA)
Up Periscope (1998, Stardust Music, Canada)
Loud Noise from the Valley (1997, Canada)
Upcoming Releases (subject to change):
Learn to Ski! (Fall 2008, 7 inch ep)
Earth Surfing (Fall 2008, Rickshaw Records, USA, compilation CD)
Film & TV:
Accidental Icon: The Real Gidget Story (2006, documentary, dir: Brian L Gillogly)
The Teeth Beneath (2005, skateboard/horror flick)
Weird Sex and Snowshoes (2004)
The Young Astronomer (2004, dir: Thom Fitzgerald)
15/Love (2004/05/06, YTV tv series)
Making of the Snow Walker (2004, City TV documentary)
The Event (2003, dir: Thom Fitzgerald)
This Boy (2002, dir: Amy Burke)
Powerski International Promo videos (2002)
Sickness and Health (2001, dir: Ben Wannamaker)
Board Stories (2001, Hawaii, tv series)
Beefcake (1999, dir: Thom Fitzgerald): won Atlantic Film Festival Award for best score, and nominated for 2000 Genie award for best Canadian score
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Canada's East Coast instro-nuts, URBAN SURF KINGS, play surf music, 1960s style. Think the beach blasts of Dick Dale, the leather jacket rumble of Link Wray, and the biker fuzz of B-movie heroes Davie Allan & the Arrows.
The 13 year old trio features Rev Hank on surf guitar, Crash Flagg on surf bass, and Inky on traps. Thats right, no singer, but not to worry theres always plenty of dancing on and off the stage: the swim, the frug, the watusi, the twist
URBAN SURF KINGS have 9 releases to date, including their latest spaghetti western themed CD, Bang Howdy Partner. They even released a 45rpm titled el Toro! a while back to capture their surf sound on vinyl (the way it should be!)
Fall 2008 will see the release of the new USK 7 inch ep, Learn to Ski. We decided that being from the Great White North, we should be releasing an "authentic" snow recording?! Not to mentioned CDs are so 1990's.
With a fan base that extends around the world (including North & South America, Europe, Asia & Australia), Urban Surf Kings may be the busiest surf band in Canada.
Awards & Nominations:
Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (2008)- nomination for Best Instrumental CD (Bang Howdy Partner)
Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards (2008) - nomination for Best Group or Duo, and Best Instrumental CD (Bang Howdy Partner)
Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards (2007) nomination for best instrumental recording (Live in Hell)
Music Nova Scotia Awards (2006) Award for best Aboriginal Group
Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards (2006) nomination for best instrumental recording (Live in Hell)
Indian Summer Music Awards (2006) nomination for best instrumental recording (Live in Hell)
Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (2004) - nomination for best instrumental recording (Surf vs. the Flying Saucers)
Genie Awards (1999) nomination for best original score (Beefcake)
Atlantic Film Festival (1999) award for best music composition (Beefcake)
2007-2008 Highlights
Aug: Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (2008)- nomination for Best Instrumental CD (Bang Howdy Partner)
July: Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards (2008) - nomination for Best Group or Duo, and Best Instrumental CD (Bang Howdy Partner)
July: USK invited to showcase at the Aboriginal People's Choice Awards & Manito Ahbee Music Fest, Winnipeg, MB
May/June: Bang Howdy Partner charts across Canada on Campus & Community Radio Charts
May: USK put on annual Guitar-Fest (IV) at the Seahorse Tavern
May: This week's Chart Sizzler Award goes to a bit of an underdog, as Urban Surf Kings' Bang Howdy Partner beats out perennial Canadian campus radio favourite Young And Sexy for the top debut. Bang Howdy Partner hits the chart at #17, while Young And Sexy's Arc arrives at #20.
Apr: USK record several tracks for upcoming Earth Surfing compilation for California's Rickshaw Records
April: Bang Howdy Partner receives 5 star review from renowned surf media Reverb Central
April: Bang Howdy Partner CD released, fastest selling USK release to date, distributed world-wide.
Feb/March: USK work with legendary California surf guru Phil Dirt to master new CD.
Dec: USK record 4 song ep (unreleased) with Hayward Parrot (Rush, BTO) at St Cecilia Studios
Nov: Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards (2007) nomination for best instrumental recording (Live in Hell)
Links
