Review by Sylvie Marie & Staff
Susan SurfTone's new single, "Blue Hammer", is scheduled for release on major outlets (Amazon, Apple Music, Pandora, and more) on September 8th so it is very exciting that HerSong can bring you a preview of surf music's iconic female guitarist's latest project.
This is an exciting moment for surf rock fans and guitar enthusiasts who may be newcomers to the genre which Susan helped bring to popularity in the 1990's with the acclaimed, surf fan favorite band, Susan and the SurfTones.
From the first lick in the introduction, the discerning surf rock ear will be impressed with the sound of Susan's nimble fingers on the twangy strings. Right from the start, Susan's playing rides the tides like a total pro, taking a chance on small, unpredictable waves and turns, while maintaining surf's core technique and sound. Her impeccable reverberant tone echoes warm and clean, round and bright. Out the gate, this is no ordinary surf rock.
Crisp and percise snare filled percussion creates a fast-paced, head bopping groove for Susan to showcase her tasteful surf-guitar chops. Susan moves through two verses with motific variations on 8-bar surf melodies that keep the ears locked in as she shows that she is a master of innovative variation. Mixing 1960's overtones with a bad-ass Guitar Goddess attitude, Susan's playing is as hot as the sun as she commands the instrument and the genre. Listeners will either listen and watch in awe, or they will get up and dance on imaginary sand.
Moving forward, a new section presents choppier waves against an exciting syncopated clap-rhythm section with some short stop and go moments where Susan's fantastic rythmic sensibilities shine. Modulations, articulations, melodic theme development, and textured phrasing, make this a captivating surf composition to love.
In "Blue Hammer", Susan proves that surf guitar music is alive and well. Her musicianship is flawless and her understanding of how to get great surf out of her guitar is as wide as the ocean. Susan SurfTone and guitar surf music are one in the same.
Check out Blue Hammer on SoundCloud.
For more informatin on Susan SurfTone, visit her website.
About Susan SurfTone
After Susan Surftone saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, she started guitar lessons at age nine. From an early age, her ambition was to become a lead guitarist in a band. After law school and employment with the FBI (as a Special Agent), she started her first band in NYC and played venues like CBGB. After moving to Rochester, she started an instrumental surf band, The SurfTones. The name was changed to Susan and the SurfTones when they were signed by Gee-Dee Music (Hamburg, Germany) in 1995 for three CDs. Four European tours followed along with recordings for two more European labels. Susan eventually ended up in Portland, OR, and assembeled the west coast version of S&ST.
In 2011, Susan recorded her first CD, "Shore", as SusanSurfTone. In 2016, she released her first song with vocals, an original called "Little Bit Lied To." Susan also made a film called "Hanging With My Sisters" about four female musicians over forty, and she writes political columns for The Advocate. In 2020 it was time to return to the beach with an electric guitar. She recorded Lee Hazelwood's "Baja" with LA drummer Nick Vincent and it got a lot of attention. Nick and Susan recorded "Blue Hammer", an original, for single release as well as an EP that will be released in October or November of 2020.
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