Reviews + Awards

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Insane Knot Tie Soars

Review from Pipeline Instrumental Review Magazine #127 (Spring 2024):

“The moody twanger Bold Renegade makes a fine opener…delivered with masses of echo and reverb…Dark Eyes gets a no-holds-barred blast…that really brings it to life. The Lost Rescue has an inspiring melody…The Space Force lifts off with great intensity leading to the harum-scarum space war of Jaws on Bald Mountain.”

Track list:

01 Bold Renegade “…carves a Z with his blade…” it starts and ends with triple slashes. 

02 Dazzled. Big Band style song on electric guitars, including lead-bass guitar.  

03 Twang Shake Played on a mysterious hybrid guitar.

04 Waterfall Barreling Splashy surf, over the falls in a barrel, overarched by a psychedelic bridge

05 Dark Eyes. A rocked up Eastern European folk song.

06 The Lost Rescue. Surf guitar with Mendelssohnian feel. 

07 Dance Like a Robot. Fun mechanoid metal man. 

08 A Day in Tokyo. Beautiful echo tones.

09 A Night in Vienna. Polka, March, and Surf take turns on an Austrian carousel. 

10 The Space Force. Three different timbres of lead guitar sequentially.

11 Jaws on Bald Mountain. Adapted classical themes…and Jaws.

12 Love in Purgatory. Melody on harpsichord then guitar.

13 GooglEyes. Jolly and bouncy. 

14 Rocket Pack. Beyond Telstar.

15 Stunt Pilot. Beyond Ghost Riders

16 Waterboard. Beyond sanity.

Space Force

Insanitizers “Space Force” album received the award for Best Instrumental Album from The Akademia Group in August 2020. “It is the opinion of The Akademia Board that this work represents an important contribution towards the diversity and advancement of the global music community. There were hundreds of submissions received this month in your category, which made making a final decision extremely difficult.” (Click photo to enlarge)

Catchy melodies abound in the 12 lively songs on the “Space Force” album. There’s nothing ordinary about them. You’ll hear dramatic variations in tone within songs, and no two songs sound alike. If it weren’t for guitar technique much of the guitar would sound just like organ, but no organ was used. For something Really Different yet easy to enjoy give “Space Force” a listen. CD now available.

Review from Pipeline Instrumental Review magazine issue #117 (Winter 2020):

The album is aptly titled indeed as these space-flavored instrumentals are delivered with great intensity featuring busy upfront guitar work dominating the soundstage throughout. Following in the footsteps of the racy title track the first five numbers are all uptempo pieces full of space/spooky fire and energy. Not that the sixth, “Ray Gun Ranger,” lacks passion or power as its irresistible mid-tempo bass pattern underpins some great moody space guitar sounds. It’s a real winner that comes across like a powered-up bastard son of “Out of Limits.” Yeah, it’s that good.

Another that stands out is the uptempo “Weightless Scramble” as its cleanly echoed guitar storms through a ’60s European-style racer. “Conundrum” is also more Euro influenced and both of these two come in at just under two minutes to leave you wanting more — but sensibly not giving it. “Space Trip” then takes us back on a, er, space trip with plenty of variation in guitar sounds delivering its “Flight of the Bumblebee-” style theme. Deeply echoed twang proudly leads “Victory in Space” before “The Challenge” winds things up with hints of “Star Wars” courtesy of Conrad’s processed guitars. Neatly presented in a glossy digipak. (This album appears on the Editors’ top ten Playlist).

Review from Storm Surge of Reverb (StormSurgeOfReverb.com)

“To those accustomed to the standard loadout of surf hardware, The Insanitizers might sound a little insane. A lot of the effects that traditional surf groups might consider as novelty are happily employed by them, and perhaps more so on their new space-themed album than ever. I like hearing this band going full nutso — even if a sound has lost its initial impact, they get into occasional spots that make you think “what the hell was that?” And I think that’s a good thing. Importantly, this is not a psych/experimental album sneaking into the surf tent; underneath the swirling haze is either surf guitar or at least guitar instrumentals structured for surf and aiming for a surf ear with clear melodic drive.”

We are glad he enjoyed the melodies, underlying surf guitar approach, sense of humor, unusual textures and surprises.

Comments from fans about “Space Force”:

It sounds like you’re having a lot of fun on your “Space Force” album. I’ve listened to it a number of times, It’s a fun album.

The compositional and tonal variety of the songs, driven by expert picking, creates a never-a dull-moment musical ride.

Wow awesome! I listened to the track [The Challenge] just now and I really like how trippy it is! What a cool and complicated adaptation. The ending really packs a punch. Holy crap that first song [Space Force] is incredible! Such a cool heavy tone there. There are really some incredible tunes! Weightless Scramble is just beautiful. Space Trip is another super fun track.

I have had multiple joyful listenings. Each time I listen, I hear a few different things. I am extremely impressed with your creativity for each track and how the tracks meld and never lose the focus.

Man, this album is a blast.

Review of “Space Force” album by “Continental” Magazine  (issue 29, Dec. 2020)

“They’ve developed a reputation in recent years for coming up with songs that show off impressive musicianship, while also changing the definition of what a guitar can sound like. The biggest thing you’ll notice is that many songs sound like they have organ and synths–nope, they’re guitars! Their music is rooted in modern surf music, but they definitely take it to the far reaches of the genre. The title of this, their latest release, is apt, as the songs sound like they could have come from space. All 12 songs are originals, written by guitarist Conrad Swartz…The drum patterns are actually quite complex throughout, so a lot of work has been put into the drums on this recording. If you are looking for guitar instrumentals from the edge, with a modern, and at times whimsical sound, this disc will be right up your alley.”

Reverb Rockets

Review by Sean Berry, “Continental” Magazine 
This Northwest US based combo is always pushing the limits of instrumental rock – their sound mixes a variety of influences, to me most notably classical music and surf rock. The songs and arrangements are complex, allowing the guitars to be showcased in the forefront. The production is not solely modern or vintage 60’s – instead it is mixed just right to suit the songs. With each song you’ll hear different sounds – probably the most “out there” song is “Exotic Planet Charm”, which sounds like European carnival music being performed underwater. Yet “Fright Night”, “Surfin’ The Stars” and “Huntington Beach” are all pretty straight-forward surf tunes (these tended to be the ones I liked the best). Still, the disc serves as a great showcase for the band and will appeal to those that like more adventurous modern instrumental rock. (www.insanitizers.com)

Flying Guitars

Reviewing “Flying Guitars” New Gandy Dancer Rock Instrumental Magazine (Issue 129, December 2017, from England) wrote: “We’re huge fans of Conrad Swartz’s rocking and stylish playing on previous records and this is just as good. Great originals and a Ventures tribute in “Run” with WDR [Walk Don’t Run] sequences. I think we’ve said it before but he’s today’s Nokie Edwards!” (rated 4/4). [Nokie Edwards was The Ventures’ lead guitarist]

Our physical CD albums can be ordered thru many local CD/record stores, DWMmusic.com and Bandcamp.com. Order CDs directly from us via Paypal to Insanitizers@gmail.com (specify CD choice via Paypal) at $12.50 each mailed 1st class in USA, or US$14 to Canada.  Search for Insanitizers on streaming services Spotify, Pandora Radio, Tidal, Amazon Music and Apple Music. MP3 albums and songs are available from Bandcamp, Amazon, iTunes.

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Guitar Fun Version 2. More fun!

In July 2016 “Guitar Fun” won the national award for “Best Rock Instrumental Album.” Quoting, “Insanitizers deploy their marvelous talent for the guitar to the interpretation of a modern vibe – what results is a completely novel experience of a genre you thought you knew and understood.”
reference: TheAkademia.com/july2016_bestalbum_instrumentalrock3.html

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Get the physical CD from DWM Music , Deep Eddy Music,  or Amazon. It can be ordered at many local record/CD stores and can be heard through all streaming services including Spotify & Pandora.

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“Guitar Fun” is reviewed in Pipeline Magazine issue #102 Autumn 2016,. It’s a Top Ten Pick by editor Al Taylor. He writes, “a full hour of guitar fun…Rich guitar sounds abound as Shootout sets a western theme and Dark Eyes Rock gives the old folk tune a good working over. Tasty echo and twang decorate Rocket Pack…and there’s more rich guitar on Huntington Surf.”

“There’s a resonating guitar intensity to most numbers…organ plays the support role on Love in Purgatory…and it takes the lead on Resonance. Misigila is from the same dynamic mold as Misirlou. Waterboard Surf 2016 is another lively piece swathed with guitar and Loose Surfer features a pedalled lead. Listening to this album is a very intense experience, not for the fainthearted!”

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“New Gandy Dancer” Rock Instrumental Magazine from the U.K. reviewed Guitar Fun in issue #125, Oct. 2016:  “We like The Insanitizers!…another jolly twangfest of no less than 22 great tracks. Good stroke having the keyboard-led Resonance to break up the guitars…The covers are delightful arrangements of Irish Washerwoman (and she rocks!) and the European classic Dark Eyes. Rocket Pack has a great Joe Meek guitar sound. A Day in Tokyo with its strong melody line could well be a Ventures song from their “Pops in Japan” albums. Solid twin guitars with Malaguena. Misigila is the big surf sound…W-Ray Gun a deep resonant twanger finishes this fine set.” Rated 4/4.

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The Continental Magazine issue #25 (December 2017) states: “This disc certainly starts really well with Dark Eyes Rock, Shootout and Rocket Pack. Rocket Pack was probably my personal fave, melding Los Straitjackets twang with Tornadoes [Telstar] era melodies. Things don’t let up from there — this truly is a fine disc…plenty of great songs that make this a worthwhile purchase.”

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In December 2016 the first song on this CD “Shootout” won FIRST PLACE in the 2016 Dallas Songwriters Association Contest for instrumentals. The award page cites Insanitizers guitarist Conrad Swartz as the songwriter:
https://dallassongwriters.org/2016-dsa-song-contest-winners/
This competition allowed all genres of music.

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In June 2015 we received the national award for “Best Rock Instrumental Song” from The Akademia (www.TheAkademia.com) for our recording “Shootout.” This award spans all rock instrumentals. “Winning an Akademia Award is a rare career distinction.” This song is on our “Guitar Fun” album.
reference: TheAkademia.com/june2015_bestsong_instrumentalrock.html

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Disc Jockey Hunter King from New Orleans radio WTUL aired several songs from “Guitar Fun” and wrote (http://www.stormsurgeofreverb.com/content/insanitizers-release-guitar-fun)

“There’s 22 tracks here with musical styling spanning straight ahead surf, Joe Meekish instrumentals, rautalanka, a harpsichord tune (I realize it’s probably not actually a harpsichord), and… man, I don’t know what. True to their name, it does sometimes feel like you’re going slightly insane. This is partly because of the every-idea-explored nature of of the music, partly because of their core style: a swirling guitar effect mess of reverb, delay, and probably a few other ingredients (I don’t play guitar) plus a relentless drum… Some may find their sound offputting, but it’s very much their own and often it just takes a bit of a mental adjustment before you’re enjoying it. I think the sound works best when they really overdo it, like on the swirling, free-floating “Loose Surfer” or the pounding “Robot Dance” or the wacked-out semi-cover “Misiglia”. But you might hear something different and think it works better! There’s so much going on on this record. If you feel like you need a curveball thrown into your surf listening, I think you should give this one a shot.”

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Reviewing “Guitar Fun” on Surfguitar101, Badger (Wes H.) writes:
With 22 tracks (mostly originals) there is much to choose from…The songs run the gamut from 1st wave “trad” surf to current-style melodic explorations, and all the way to the heavier…so, literally, something for everyone. Notable tracks include:

Shootout – Ominous surf, with a real Western kind of twang to it…

Dark Eyes Rock – I like the basic song anyway, and this one is definitely spiked up with plenty of good reverb. There is also a bit of non-traditional rhythm pattern that underlies the melody as well.

Rocket Pack – The guitar tones are substantial.

A Day in Tokyo – Meaty guitar, driving rhythm, growl & reverb.

Revel – Being another straight-ahead twangy tune I really like this one as well. Some serious tone resides in this guitar… A wonderful, unabashed slap-echo puts the cherry on top.

A Week in Hawaii – This is simply a very pretty tune that evokes its title; string up your hammock and kick back.

W-Ray Gun: Obviously a nod to Mr. Link Wray. This track is in that category of “heavier” that I can get into & takes the imagination…

…There are some tracks with multiple guitars, the use of a Roland Guitar Synthesizer, as well as a Washburn Idol with lipstick pickups (“Malaguena”).

The result is, as the title suggests, “Guitar Fun.” Enjoy.

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Our “Wild Surf Guitars” CD album.  

“Cry of the Coyote” CD review magazine from France gave the Insanitizers’ 20 song CD “Wild Surf Guitars” a “Cry of the Heart Award” with highest ratings.

“This CD lives up to its title. The guitars are often jangling wildly, the influences remain unchanged, so rockin’ surf fans will feast upon it. In addition, there’s a heap of tracks (20). So, what more could we ask? The most striking tracks, to my ears, are Disappearance, a threatening tune in the style of Link Wray, and the rockin’ surf tunes Risk On, Surfarian, Barbarous Deville, Feral Four and At the Beach.”

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Indiemusic.co gave “Wild Surf Guitars” a best new release award and enthusiastic review at indiemusic.co/2013/06/03/the-insanitizers-tame-the-wild-surf-guitars/

“The Insanitizers do a fine job throughout this latest CD, Wild Surf Guitars, of delivering memorable and aggressive songs that are true to form….

“Googleyes,” and “Surf Wall Street,” both sound familiar yet crisp in their attack. But with “Dragonfly,” we hear a great buzzy guitar tone, and are privy to some of the clever humor on display.

“Surfarian,” again displays quick wit with some clever back forth between the guitars and drums. “Skywriters,” is a laconic, unhurried number which is enjoyable to listen to…

If this was a throwback sixties beach film, and this band was the movies heroes, it’d wrap up like this: “The Insanitizers win this heat and take the tournament! The Insanitizers are new Kings of Wild Surf Guitars!”
Yeah; it’s like that.

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The British CD review magazine “New Gandy Dancer (NGD)” wrote:
Neat little band out of Vancouver, Washington on a busy surfing set with lots happening. It’s rewarding to hear a group dedicated to their art and the art here is genuine 1960s surf guitars, bass and drums. The all-original songs are simply soaked in high twanging, reverbed guitars and easy to remember melody lines. Don’t get the impression that these cuts are derivative — they’re not — they are an acknowledgment of a much neglected genre and a brave genre to tackle in 2013. Rating score 4 of 4.

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Another British CD review magazine “Pipeline” reported this about “Wild Surf Guitars”
“There may be quite a variety of sounds on this album from The Insanitizers but the recurring theme is of lively, intertwining guitars that swap leads and riffs with head-spinning fervour. Be it the repetitive jangle of “At the Beach,” the sparkling twang of “GooglEyes” or the frantic surf of “Surf Wall Street,” their aim seems to be to fry your brain…

“The most conventional track is “Man Hunter,” an acoustic take on the old cowboy western style. This provides a useful transition into the final three instrumentals…an acoustic guitar duo…The surf-flavoured “Undertow” works very well and the strongly rhythmic “Fantwango” round off the album very nicely.”

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The “Album Cover Hall of Fame” published a photo essay feature about the cover art for the Insanitizers music CDs including this one. Here is a link:
http://albumcoverhalloffame.wordpress.com/2014/04/03/featured-album-cover-fan-collection-conrad-swartz-the-insanitizers/

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Our “Whimsical Surf Version Two” album  

available through DWM Music, Amazon, and Bandcamp as CD or MP3:

“Cry of the Coyote” CD review magazine from France gave “Whimsical Surf Version Two” a “Cry of the Heart Award” with highest ratings.

“Conrad Swartz’s band decided to revisit the content of their previous album, while I await their next CD. This gives me the chance to appreciate the humor of such titles as “Polkzart” (the 40th symphony of Wolfgang Amadeus as a super fun polka), “Fantwango” (a rocking tango), and “Fowl ball” or “Beerocracy” (puns on “foul ball” and “bureaucracy”). I rediscovered versions of “Sugarplum” (“Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy” by Tchaikovsky) which rocks well and of “Puppetor” (“Funeral March of a Marionette” by Gounod) in flamenco rock style. They added supplementary guitars, changed the solos on some songs, and concocted new arrangements and new melodies on others. I was thrilled by the first version, but the second is even more rockin’ and the guitars gallop. Everything on this album is a keeper, what a great time for fans of rockin’ surf! “

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“New Gandy Dancer, the magazine for rock instrumental music” (“NGD”) from the U.K. issue 112, wrote:

Frantic, fun & full of guitar rock originals this is the second visit to NGD from Conrad Swartz, Mike Martin, Ralf Palin and Tim Ennis- The Insanitizers. Great tearing surf and driving instrumentals with some really nice covers secreted in there, like the theme from Alfred Hitchcock, “Mozart 40” and “The Sugar Plum Fairy” – all powered up of course!

“Dance Like A Robot” is a strong starter for ten, with its rollicking & rolling axes and “Waterboard Surfing” is a racey, wild surfer. “Hot Sauce” is a BIG sound reminiscent of Davie Allan’s material or indeed The Ventures’ “In Space” album. This set definitely can’t fail.” Rated 4 out of 4.

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SurfRockMusic.com ( http://www.surfrockmusic.com/insanitizers-whimsical-surf-version-2.html ) commented on each of the 17 tracks on this CD. Overall they wrote, “I got a lot of enjoyment out of listening to Whimsical Surf Version 2. It’s filled with fun, let’s-have-a-party music. Whimsical Surf Version 2 is guaranteed to put a smile on anybody’s face.”

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Pipeline CD review magazine from Great Britain wrote about this CD, “It’s a very lively set with a full-on approach featuring tough jangling guitars aplenty…an excellent take of Rossini’s William Tell Overture…mighty fine performance of Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King.” Version 1 of this CD received a three-page feature and an enthusiastic review (“Sounds great…roaring surf-rock”) in Pipeline Magazine (Spring 2011), with mention on the front cover. About Version 1, ReverbCentral declared “Too Much Fun !” and the Vancouver Voice pronounced “Surf music in a frenzy.” Still, Version 2 outrocks Version 1.

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The “Album Cover Hall of Fame” published a photo essay feature about the cover art for the Insanitizers music CDs including this one. Here is a link:
http://albumcoverhalloffame.wordpress.com/2014/04/03/featured-album-cover-fan-collection-conrad-swartz-the-insanitizers/

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Our physical CD albums can be ordered thru many local CD/record stores, DWMmusic.com and Bandcamp.com. Order CDs directly from us via Paypal to Insanitizers@gmail.com (specify CD choice via Paypal) at $12.50 each mailed 1st class in USA, or US$14 to Canada.  Search for Insanitizers on streaming services Spotify, Pandora Radio, Tidal, Amazon Music and Apple Music. MP3 albums and songs are available from Bandcamp, Amazon, iTunes.