One of the odder and more wonderful bands to emerge from the surf music revival, the Mermen race between high-octane surf anthems and spaced-out blasts of psychedelia. Neither their albums nor their live shows follow any sort of expected or ordinary path, and the band has made many sincere attempts to get away from the surf music label. Based in San Francisco, they have developed a broad cult following, encourages home tapers, and have developed a strong relationship with radio, resulting in numerous broadcasts, some of which were compiled for The Mermen at the Haunted House (...