Los Straitjackets: Jet Set (Yep Roc, 8/7/12)
“Space Mosquito”
Los Straitjackets: “Space Mosquito”
Every team gets a shot in the arm from the return of its leader, and the same must hold true for instrumental surf-rock quartet Los Straitjackets. Buoyed by the return of guitarist Danny Amis from a battle with multiple myeloma — a plasma-cell cancer that manifests in bone marrow — the ‘Jackets are back, luchador masks in hand (er…on face).
Generally speaking, Jet Set remains in the camp of pure and simple, “by the books” surf rock. But there’s a sneaky assortment from the get-go, with “Crime Scene” launching into a classic car-chase-, detective-novel-esque noir theme. There are speed-picking Dick Dale moments (“New Siberia”), jangly pop tunes (“Aerostar”), Latin-funk flavors (“Walking Down 3rd Street”), and slow, beautiful ballads (“Low Tide”).
Recorded with producer Janne Haavisto of Laika & The Cosmonauts (whose work you’ll love if you dig this), Jet Set also features guest spots from The Basic Cable Horns (from Conan O’Brien) and Finnish actress Irina Björklund (who plays saw on “Low Tide”). It’s still decidedly retro, but Jet Set is for far more than nostalgic value.