The upper right hand corner of this cd cover says simply, “File under Belgian instrumental.” The upper left hand corner says, “Recorded in Monstrophonic sound.” Let me tell you this 6-piece, on their fourth release, has aptly titled their amped-up sound. Somewhere between surf and beatnik coffeehouse cool, sits Caffeine. There’s 13-tracks here with titles like, “Sugar No Cream,” “The Great Caffeine Comedown,” and “TripleXpresso.”

And the caffeine references don’t stop there. Included here as well are three very ambitious covers: Jimmy Gordon’s “Buzzzz,” Rogers & Hammerstein’s “Bali Hai,” and The Jokers’ “Gaucho.” I think I must’ve listened to this thing 10 times before writing this review, each time having flashback references to cheesy Elvis flicks with Ann Margaret, and Beach Blanket Bingo movies with Rat Fink—that whole ‘60s timeframe of kitsch and hip that I was too young to really experience firsthand except through a television screen. But the real reason I played it so much was the quality of the musicianship—the fuzzed-out tone of the guitars and speed-demon snare work. Ya gotta love it.