Surfer Blood is a band of four dudes (who don't surf) from Florida that have done a good job cultivating the laid back party/drug/cool kid image that is catching on these days (see Girls). If the washed out Polaroid on their MySpace doesn't convince you of this, maybe the tagline "Condoleezza Rice, secretary of weed" right next to the picture will.
Back in October of last year I reviewed two concerts for The Live Buzz; Neon Indian and Kurt Vile. Surfer Blood sounds a bit like a Kurt Vile/Neon Indian mashup band. Their debut album, Astro Coast, mixes a garage rock sound with chillwave attitude, resulting in a catchy, although not groundbreaking sound that holds up for most of the album.
The strongest material is at the front end of the album, including the insanely catchy "Swim," and the harmonics-laden "Harmonix." The reverbed vocals and echoey overdriven guitar licks that make the songs interesting become less distinctive as the album progresses, and eventually the whole dynamic gets a bit tired.
While the whole thing may not be a masterpiece, Astro Coast is a great debut album that deserves a listen. I can almost guarantee that "Swim" will get stuck in your head for a few days afterward. If Surfer Blood is still stuck in your head on March 11, you can head over to The Bishop for the sixth day of the Pit Stop Music Marathon and catch them playing with The Broderick and Turbo Fruits.
Also, check out the kind of creepy/cool/weird video for "Swim":
- David Ray
