★★★★☆
Four Stars
The newest American-breakout band, Surfer Blood, are about to be massive! With a new album set for release on the 11th June, Pythons, and a new major record deal with Warner Bros. the four-piece from Florida are up for a successful summer. This is further supplemented by a current stint supporting Foals on the American stint of their tour before embarking on a festival-filled summer, taking in the likes of Best Kept Secret in Amsterdam and Reading and Leeds.
Whilst all of this inevitably leads to a sense of hype surrounding Pythons, for once they actually live up to it. If you used to like the Vaccines, before they sold their souls to Teeny-Boppers and Radio 1, you’ll love Surfer Blood. Their writing has a sense of earnestness comparable to Savages recent release Silence Yourself, and a rhythmic looseness last heard on Peace’s In Love. Although both of these comparisons are to British bands, Surfer Blood retain their American roots with a sense of ‘airiness’ and positive outlook that could only have come from across the pond.
The opening track ‘Demon Dance’ is simple surf-rock at its finest with its simple three chord structure and soaring slide guitar melody. Whilst this is an album built on simplicity, there is still a sense of depth, comparable to the current B-town scene here, and quite unlike anything American we’ve heard this year, detached from the mainstream but with the potential to go global.
With ‘Gravity’ comes a more urgent and driven offering, focusing the simple riffs and melody into a powerful offering, only to be outdone by the next track ‘Weird Shapes’ which becomes euphoric. Although Surfer Blood, and lead singer John Paul Pitts, are generally gentle in their musical efforts, this track is interjected with psychedelic screams which bring a sense of aggression to proceedings. Although only three tracks into the album, this is one of the best ‘three track streaks’ around and a clear indication of great things to come, both during the remainder of the album, and for Surfer Blood this summer. Watch out.
Track To Download: Demon Dance
