For those not in the know, The Supertones are a surf band from NYC formed in 1988. The original members - Tim Sullivan (guitars), Ted Lawrence (guitars), Marc Lipscher (bass), and Mike Arcidiacono (drums) - built a solid musical foundation and even though they are currently in their fourth incarnation as a band, original band leader Sullivan has never let the Surf-Rock spirit leave him.

Every year The Supertones release a new album, which is not only a cause for celebration for all their long time fans from their hometown of NYC, but also for fans worldwide of instrumental Surf Rock.

Of course, Sullivan is at the helm once again on the vivacious new album, Made In Japan which features 12 live recordings of pure, unadulterated instrumental Surf-Rock gold!

Not a particularly Eastern sounding set of instrumentals, the album seamlessly takes its place among the many great Supertones albums.

Subtitled Play Japanese Pop Hits, Made In Japan was inspired by the Japanese Ventures tribute band called The Mizusawa Ventures.

Indeed, Made In Japan features a number of unusual tracks that are for the most part unknown, although the second track actually features a rocking Supertones cover of Hank Marvins 1965 Shadows classic Geronimo, a favorite still with surf-rock bands worldwide.

On Made In Japan, Tim Sullivan continues receiving top-notch support from long-time Supertones members Simon Chardiet (bass, producer) and Seth Lipscher (rhythm guitar) yet, for Made In Japan, the Supertones have enlisted the skills of a new drummer, J.J. Murphy.

1. Sayonara Siberian Railroad
2. Geronimo
3. The Sun Is Alone
4. Night Sky Star
5. Message in Rouge
6. Blue Star Dust
7. Emma
8. Hula Girl
9. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
10. The Rocket Man
11. Django
12. Subway

Recorded live in September 2020 at Oceanus Studio in Rockaway Beach, NYC, The Supertones Made In Japan opens on the addictively frenetic Sayonara Siberian Railroad and never looks back!

Their aforementioned cover of The Shadows Geronimo is a pure joy to behold and is backed by the quieter pace of The Sun Is Alone, the mid-tempo (for them) pairing of both Night Sky Star and Message in Rouge, and then we get my own personal favorite, the translucent guitar work of Blue Star Dust.

Their brand of thriving Surf-Rock instrumentals continues onward with the turbulent Emma which is in turn followed by the melodic magnificence of Hula Girl, the foot-tapping Softly as in a Morning Sunrise, with the album rounding out on the rousing The Rocket Man, the forthright Django, closing on the vibrancy of Subway.

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