Murph the Surf

By the time of his fifth full-length album, Elliott Murphy had established himself as a club act in the Northeast and in Europe, touring with a tight band consisting of former Patti Smith Group keyboard player Richard Sohl, former Modern Lover Ernie Brooks, and drummer Tony Machine. Murphy, with his Stratocaster as the focus, however, was turning out a series of literate rock songs full of allusions to New York City and references to novelists and movie stars. On Murph the Surf, he reflected on everything from "Modern Romance" to "The Fall of Saigon" (metaphorically, anyway) with his characteristic wit. ~ William Ruhlmann