Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Having previously shared the stage with the likes of Amy Winehouse and members of INXS, Australian-born singer/songwriter and former Cross Rhythms reviewer Danny McMartin has released a debut EP influenced by the surf guitar sounds of yesteryear. McMartin describes his sound as "an organic feel-good vibe, bringing it with it an environmental message about respecting God's creation" and the two non-instrumental tracks on this four song release - "The Perfect Wave" and the Kate Tabain-sung "Ripplet Of Diamonds" complete with regrettably out of tune harmonies from the otherwise vocally competent McMartin - succeed in fulfilling this promise with a sound that seems to belong in the both the endless summer of the '60s and today's indie scene. Elsewhere, the instrumental title track and "Eternal Tube" allow McMartin's suitably reverb-laden lead guitar playing to take prominence and, whilst the melodies of said songs may not immediately stick in the mind in the way that the work of surf guitarists like Dick Dale does, he is aided by some sterling drumming from Josh Carpenter and Dan Garbutt as well as some fitting brass work from trumpeter Ben Greenslade-Stanton to beef out the overall sound and make this a pleasing enough outing.

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