On Surf Riders From The Swamp Lagoon, Messer Chups, who hale from the land locked republic of the USSR, deliver a staggering, decadent armada of of surf guitar licks that are as seamless, energetic, hypnotic, and as insightfully insane as anything Dick Dale ever laid down ... causing me to question why I ever though California was the surf capital of the world.All of the songs are not headlong rushes into the surf, numbers like “Stipper” and “Twin Peaks Twist” simmer and swagger, perfect for winding down a beautiful day, sitting in the sand with my back resting against my vintage Hansen 50/50, watching the sun sink slowly into the ocean ... wondering if I have the time for one last run.Nearly half of the songs have have an unexpected Mexican undercurrent, and of the few lyrics there are, the fact that they’re in Russian, and sounding like they’re sung with a Japanese influence, only makes me smile with delight, causing the notion of a Route 66 adventure across the deserts of the southwest to Malibu seem not only possible, but worthy of a spur of the moment excursion.I’ll send you a postcard …Review by Jenell Kesler