Get your hands on The Riptides’ all-instrumental record “Mental Therapy.” Produced, mixed and mastered by pop-punk mastermind Mass Giorgini at Sonic Iguana Studios, these pulp-surf tunes are a perfect soundtrack to those hot summer nights. Featuring Dan Lumley (Screeching Weasel, Riverdales) on drums, engineered by Luke Copyright and has a guest appearance by Blag Dahlia of the Dwarves. Pressed on limited edition blue wax.

Reviews:

RIPTIDES, THE: Mental Therapy: 7”
Considering the severe rarity of finding a pop punk band creating any kind of primarily instrumental work, it’s always worth taking notice when a group like The Riptides comes along to make an effort to do something new in a genre that generally suffers from an overdose of clichés, simplicities, and rehashed concepts (even if it does often produce incredibly fun music). In five tracks, the EP cuts through charged surf rhythms, warm, slow dance grooves, smooth throwback guitars, and a Western-esque tune about death with a spoken intro by who appears to be Blag Dahlia of the Dwarves (the only voice found anywhere here). As a quick fix, it’s a short and enjoyable listen that doesn’t leave much of an impression on you after the music has stopped, but a whole album of this stuff cranked up a few notches louder could potentially crack its own niche in a genre that desperately needs more than the same old teenage kicks. –Reyan Ali (Rally)

Track Listing:

1. Return To Blood Beach

2. The Pale Rider (Feat. Blag Dahlia)

3. Cloak & Dagger Play

4. Johnny’s Last Wave

5. Last House On The Left

Release Notes:

7” Pressed on Clear Blue Vinyl. “Return To Blood Beach” used in Skate game 2 on xbox.