The Neptunas Float Along with Surf Meets 60s Pop Sounds on ‘Mermaid A-Go-Go’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

An all-female surf band isn’t exactly a common thing, so when you find one, it’s noteworthy. The Neptunas is even more noteworthy simply because of the way the band was formed. In 1994, bassist Pamita Neptuna mailed out flyers for an all-girl surf band. The flyers read, “You don’t have to know how to play an instrument, but a bikini and wig collection are a plus.” Ultimately, that led to the band opening for The Breeders and meeting Danny Amis of Los Straitjackets, who produced the new album Mermaid A-Go-Go. Of the new album, Pamita said, “This is a magical album and a true joint effort between ourselves and a musician who we deeply admire.”

One of the things about surf music is that it can be hard to tell one song from another. That’s not necessarily the case with this album. The album begins with “Billy the Squid’s Water Pistol,” a song that sounds like what would happen if the hero of a spaghetti western was a surfer. That stands in stark contrast to “Secret of the Sea,” which sounds like 60s French pop and is one of two songs on the album with French lyrics.

The prevailing theme of this album is fun. It is a joy to listen to these songs, whether it’s the instrumental “Nancy Drew’s Wetsuit” or the bouncy power-pop title track which includes the lyrics, “The mermen are flawless and the mermaids are braless at the mermaid-a-go-go.” “School Is a Drag” is a song in the spirit of Jan and Dean in a couple different ways. First, it has that old-time surf feel. Second, like many Jan and Dean songs, this one is about cars. The lyrics tell the story of someone who has no interest in school outside of the drag races that happen after the final bell.

Remember when albums used to have bonus tracks at the end? The Neptunas revive that tradition with three bonus tracks that all have a throwback feel to them. Specifically, a couple of them have the feel of 60s girl pop. For example, It’s hard to hear “Little Jimmy Freak” without thinking of songs like “Leader of the Pack.” Meanwhile, closer “The Sorority Stomp” feels a bit more like a Detroit Cobras song.

This album is just a fun listen. While it is largely a surf album, you don’t have to be a devotee of surf music to enjoy it. The band embraces sounds ranging from instrumental surf to 60s pop and the harmony and energy of Ramones.