The Ramblin’ Ambassadors: Ramble On

The Ramblin' Ambassadors
Ramble On
Mint
2012-03-06

Calgary’s Ramblin’ Ambassadors offer up a high-octane mix of instrumental guitar pyrotechnics, part Dick Dale, part Enrico Morricone. With reverb by the bucketful and whammy-bar bending galore, these ten lean tunes clock in at well under 30 minutes. Nothing lasts longer than 2:52, so there’s not a lot of filler here. “Clambake!” is a standout courtesy of its head-banging rhythms and whistling Farfisa, but the frenetic “Tyger Beat” and straight-ahead riffage of “Super Lungbucket” are effective as well. Guitarists Brent J. Cooper and Doug Waite take most of the limelight, as this is a bare-bones roots-rock four-piece that eschews anything as prog as, y’know, vocals—never mind harpsichord, bongos or glockenspiel. Planning a late-night road trip? You just found your soundtrack. Fair warning, though: you might have to play it several times over before you arrive.

RATING 6 / 10