The Surfsiders Sing The Beach Boys Songbook (Design Records/1965)

Wow. Where to begin with this kitschy doozy of a collection. This was released in 1965 on the budget sound-alike label Design Records which was a subsidiary of Pickwick International based out of Long Island City, Queens, New York. The Surfsiders were a studio outfit which featured a pre-Velvet Underground Lou Reed as a vocalist on a few tracks.

I'd like to think that a flurry of illegal substances and adult beverages were at play here when it comes to explaining the goofy, punkoid arrangements. But somehow I know that's not the case.
There are multiple laugh-out-loud moments on this release. Imagine the T-Birds clowning around singing together in Grease (or even better Grease 2) but, if they were Beach Boys fanatics.

"Little Honda", "When I Grow Up To Be A Man", "Help Me Rhonda" and "Little Deuce Coupe" are all mangled in unimaginative doo-wop - and unlike Brian Wilson's beautiful vocal arrangements - are basically all sung in the same octave.

The back-cover "artwork" features virtually no information about what was inside, as was par for the course with this and many other budget labels of the time. The front cover features a couple of laughing blonde teenagers yucking it up while running into the ocean with a surf board.

It's pretty safe to say that I struck kitsch gold with this purchase. Only recommended for masochistic Beach Boy fans or Lou Reed completeists. Maybe?

Here's the video review: