Interesting? Interesting ain't the word, dude!
Ronald George Reagan | Steele, MO | 07/12/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a must have. Underline "MUST HAVE"!!!!! While containing only one big hit "Surf City", the album is fitfully entertaining. On "Surf City", the dudes try their hand at a thematic, city song album. "Surf City", of course, is in their usual no-crossover aspirations surfing style. The rest of the album, though, (with the exception of Honolulu Lulu) finds them expirementing. "Memphis" doesn't work that well for the boys. They sound as if they're in Memphis on Beale Street after partying too much. "Detroit City", though, is a shock even for these ears. It's common for rock artists to cover country, but not rockers from the surf music genre. It actually works pretty well. It sounds as if Chet Atkins himself might've produced as he did on Bobby Bare's version (though we know he didn't). It doesn't stray from it's countrypolitan/Nashville Sound roots a bit and makes good listening. If "Surf City" was the appetizer, "Folk 'n' Roll" is the T-Bone steak meal. They turn in a hilarious version of "Hang On Sloopy" which will leave you laughing at the end. The thrill is their version of "Eve of Destruction". It's done with every bit of grit that Barry McGuire initially put into it in his hit version. Also, the Byrd's "Turn, Turn, Turn" takes on a new life, but one could hope for the 12-string to be on there, though. All in all, a must have."
What are all these flies doing in here?
Johnny Heering | Bethel, CT United States | 03/18/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This CD features two Jan & Dean albums.
Surf City features the title smash, plus songs about other swingin' cities. Almost all of the songs are covers of other performer's songs, other than the hits "Surf City" and "Honolulu Lulu". "Philadelphia, PA" (a song about American Bandstand)may be a Jan & Dean original, but I'm not sure, because the CD has no songwriting credits. Most of the cover songs are decent, but nothing special.
Folk 'n Roll features about half original material and half covers of recent hits. "I Found a Girl" is the only hit song on the album. "Folk City" was also released as a single, but it bombed. Believe it or not, it is a parody of Jan & Dean's own "Surf City". "Universal Coward" was released as a Jan solo single, which also flopped. It is a parody of anti-Vietnam War protest songs, and it seems to be pro-Vietnam War, oddly enough (unless they are joking). As for the covers, "Hang On Sloopy" is goofy fun, but their covers of folk songs don't quite work."
Track Listings (25) - Disc #1