The buzz about the booming Calgary music scene has discounted some of the better bands that have spent their years playing in our fair city. While people are freaking out over bands like Azeda Booth and Woodpigeon, they forget their roots. Groups like Huevos Rancheros, who spent their time playing instrumental surf-rock all over town, have fallen by the wayside in favour of hot, new indie acts.
Sadly, the Rancheros have gone on a hiatus–they haven’t released an album since 1999–but lead guitarist Brent Cooper still brings cool Dick Dale-esque ’50s doo-wop to Calgary with the Ramblin’ Ambassadors. Vista Cruiser Country Squire is reminiscent of the time that the social conservatives want us to return to: the 1950s. Easy going tunes like “Kamikaze” and “Besa Me Bottom Turn” evokes the simpler time of breaking out the great red Cadillac shark and driving along the highway, trying to out-race the captain of the football team to the coast for a nifty beach party with your high school honey.
The only bad thing about the album is that because of its instrumental nature, the entire CD can run together. There’s not a whole lot of distinction between the tracks–which isn’t such a big deal, really, but nothing really sticks out from the greater album.