Almost 2 years later, I'll be honest, I haven't touched Astro Coast in ages. Not that it isn't an amazing album, it's damn good. But with the last 2 years of beach pop acts like Best Coast, Beach Fossils, Real Estate etc, I'm finding the genre increasingly overwhelming, and more difficult to be impressed by. I saw that Surfer Blood put out their new EP, Tarot Classics, an interesting title, and I wasn't particularly excited. I thought it was nice to see them making music again, but I wasn't expecting to be swept off my feet like I was when I heard Astro Coast.
Congratulations Surfer Blood, I've been proved wrong. I feel like I've overused the classic "seem to have matured" criticism, but these guys really have. And to be fair, they're still young kids, so maturation is definitely to be expected, and now that I've heard it, certainly encouraged. The opening track, I'm Not Ready, is almost an antithesis to how I feel about the album. These guys are certainly ready for a long career in music. I think the element that struck me most as mature and impressive is the transitions from one song to another, particularly between Miranda and Voyager Reprise. It's so damn smooth and so silky it just feels good to listen to. Not that Astro Coast felt panicked or anxious, but this album also seems more settled. They seem comfortable bringing in instruments not necessarily showcased in Astro Coast, like impressive confident synth lines in Voyager Reprise and Drinking Problems.
As this is merely an EP, there's only so much that can be said. Yet as an EP as late as this is usually the precursor to a full length release, unlike Animal Collectives method of releasing EP's as somewhat of an afterthought, I am very excited to see Surfer Bloods next work. I'm sure the dimensions that are so characteristic of their play will only continue to expand and be brilliant.
No comments:
Post a Comment