If all you know about this record is that leader
Gregg Turner was in the Angry Samoans, you are probably going to be shocked when you hear it.
Turner and the band created a marvelous meld of retro garage-psych and art pop, with oddly naïve lyrics set to occasionally sloppy but often endearing music. Songs like "Medication" and "Kingdom of My Mind" have an enjoyable '60s vibe and boast some pretty tight guitar work, while the title cut shows that
Turner can craft a fine piece of melancholy pop. The relaxed atmosphere is all the stranger for the company
Turner was keeping -- Polly Klemmer of Pompeii 99 and the original
Christian Death plays keyboards and sings an ethereal lead vocal on "Lost." There are some interesting cameo experiences, such as a vocal intro from rock critic Natalie Nichols on the intro to the cover of
the Velvet Underground's "Venus in Furs." It's a good rendition, lower-key than the original but still intense. Not everything on
Santa Fe works as well, but there are enough tracks that do to make this album worth seeking out for fans of eclectic '60s revisionism. ~ Richard Foss