Surf

New album: The Beach Berserkers || Revenge of the Skinny Fat Silverback

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In Aarhus (Denmark) it’s rainy today, with a temperature of about 6°C, and wind speed varying between 3 and 7 m/s. Yet that’s where the most summery and exciting new surf rock release comes from. Please meet The Beach Berserkers, the band of brothers Svend and Ole Jeppesen, influenced by surf, spaghetti westerns, spy and horror movie soundtracks. They debuted over two years ago with their great debut single Brand New Speedos, with which their first full-length album Revenge of the Skinny Fat Silverback now kicks off. With the other nine instrumental tunes that follow, the duo shows that they easily can come up with more original melodies and witty song titles, something that’s actually quite difficult when you realize how abundant this genre already is. Pretty cool stuff. Look, is that the sun breaking through there?

Revenge of the Skinny Fat Silverback is out now digitally and on vinyl LP via Les Devon Records, CD’s to follow soon.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Satan’s Pilgrims || Go Action!!

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It has been 30 years since Satan’s Pilgrims began their journey in their hometown of Portland, Oregon. With their “Pilgrim Rock” they grew into one of the most influential surf instrumental bands around, and they’re still going strong. They have actually just released a new album, paying tribute to guitarist and founding member Dave “Pilgrim” Busacker who passed away in March 2021. The 14 new tunes on Go Action​!! sound as fresh as can be, although all the usual ingredients are of course present: rolling riffs from 3 distinct guitarists, swinging rhythms, catchy melodies and splashing fun. The Pilgrims have again succeeded in writing a number of modern dance party classics that would enrich any film score. Whatever happens, the Pilgrim Party must go on.

Go Action!! is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Hi-Tide Recordings.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs || Hi-Tide

New EP: Humanga Danga || Watusi Peak

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Four years after their very nice self-titled debut EP (and two years after their Shady/Girls single), Belgian surf rock outfit Humanga Danga are back with a new EP called Watusi Peak. Stefan Valenberghs (lead guitar), Jonas Eliano (rhythm guitar, keys), Bart Steyaert (bass) and Louis Van der Linden (drums, percussion) strive to make strong, melodic guitar tunes with tons of reverb and tremolo, in which they do not shy away from genre-foreign influences. The six fresh, original tracks here totally meet that objective, these tunes really enrich the genre. While all of the Humanga Danga videos are pretty amazing, I really have to share their self-made animation for Lima Bean Bunny Board – very cool how the instrumental music is translated into language: “Tew Tiew! Te-ueeng! De De De Dum Tweng!”

Watusi Peak is out now digitally and on CD (self-released). Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Ramalamas || Le Cape Noir

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The self-produced fifth album from Sydney swamp rockers The Ramalamas is literally and figuratively a thrilling one: the 16 tracks here form the original motion picture soundtrack to imaginary long lost 1968 horror/drama cult classic Le Cape Noir (The Black Cape). Chris Nielsen (vocals, guitars), Peter Kirwan (guitars, pedal steel), Matthias Engesser (bass), Paul Leadbetter (keys) and Scott Armstrong (drums) play danceable garage psych topped with a dirty country and surf sauce. To emphasize the cinematic feel, some tunes are instrumental, and you’ll also hear cracking skits with dialogues by Australian actors Sacha Horler and Nick Galea. This isn’t the first soundtrack to an imaginary movie, but rarely has it turned out as well as this one.

Le Cape Noir is out now digitally and on vinyl through Half A Cow Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Wave Electric || Wave Electric

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Given the sheer number of cool surf rock releases that come out weekly, it seems the genre is more alive than ever, after 60 years. For example, listen to the self-titled debut LP by Italian four-piece Wave Electric. The 13 original, almost entirely instrumental songs by Mattia Dambrosio (guitars), Alessandro Maderna (guitars), Carlo Leonello Uberti (bass) and Andrea Bonzini (drums) are truly original. You can hear they had a lot of fun recording. These tunes are never boring, but surprisingly versatile and exciting, with amazing melodies, clever twists and catchy hooks – from Berlin to the moon and back via the shore.

Wave Electric’s self​-​titled debut album is out now digitally and on vinyl LP through MuSick Recordings.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Tsunami Brothers || The Tsunami Brothers II

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Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) is quite far from the sea, and the chance that a tidal wave will reach this region is unlikely, nevertheless nice surf music is made there by a 7-piece called The Tsunami Brothers. Billy (guitar), Kenny (guitar), Johnny (bass), Daredevil Dale (drums), Ronnie (vocals), Barbie (vocals, percussion) and Chantel (vocals) all use the surname Tsunami for the occasion, and 4 years after their self-titled debut EP they now released the full-length album The Tsunami Brothers II. You’ll hear 9 varied, original songs, partly instrumental and partly with lyrics, partly quietly rippling and partly rocking fiercely, all summery and danceable.

The Tsunami Brothers II is out now digitally (self-released). Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Tijuana Panthers || Halfway to Eighty

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We’ve been following Californian garage / surf rock trio Tijuana Panthers for a long time, have their LPs in the collection, saw them perform live, and regularly mention them as an influence on new bands (recently: Toothpicks, 3LH, The Cave Arcade), so it’s exciting whether a new release lives up to its reputation. To be honest, Halfway to Eighty didn’t click with me right away. However, on second listen I really started to like the 11 new songs, at the next spin I heard hit after hit. Longtime friends Daniel Michicoff (bass, vocals), Chad Wachtel (guitar, vocals), and Phil Shaheen (drums, vocals) continue to develop themselves and their sound is a bit more mature, but they still know how to write humorous, varied and catchy tunes. The cover art may be a nod to that of The Nerves’ One Way Ticket, but think I also hear influences from from Ty Segall, Rolling Blackouts CF and maybe even The Smiths. Ultimately, Tijuana Panthers still sound as cool, unique and irresistible as Tijuana Panthers always did – we’re adding LP number 6 to our wantlist.

Halfway to Eighty is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Innovative Leisure.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Toothpicks || Fun & Fancy Free

By / / Garage Rock, Jangle Pop, Surf / 1 Comment

Summer solstice 2022, the longest day / shortest night of the year, seems like the perfect moment to point out Fun & Fancy Free, a new 6-track EP from Provo, Utah-based 4-piece Toothpicks. The band, formed at the end of 2019 by brothers Cade Murdock (vocals, guitar) and Rhett Murdock (drums), now also featuring Truman Magleby (keys) and Brady Flores (bass), wrote “a love-letter and farewell to western surf music.” These are cool sounds – dreamy, jangly and mesmerizing – that will get us through all those hours today and the hot days that follow.

Fun & Fancy Free is out now digitally and on cassette through UPHERE! Records. For fans of Allah Las, The Growlers, Tijuana Panthers, Beach Skulls.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: The Routes || The Twang Machine

By / / Garage Rock, Surf / 4 Comments

Japan-based underground garage outfit The Routes are on a roll. Last year the three-piece released no fewer than three albums, and here is yet another full-length. “Whether you see it as musical blasphemy or musical alchemy, this album is set to become a cult classic, destined to irk or jerk future generations for years to come,” the press release promises. Chris Jack (guitar, bass, percussion), Bryan Styles (bass) and Toru Nishimuta (bass), with special guest Katsuhiko Matsusue (organ), have dared to transform ten classics by Kraftwerk into pretty cool instrumental surf rock crackers. Earlier Messer Chups showed with a single cover song that this idea can turn out well, but The Routes prove that you can’t have enough of such a sound even after 34 minutes. Very well done, The Twang Machine is a worthy tribute to the German electronic music pioneers, for fans of mid-60s rock ‘n’ roll.

The Twang Machine is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Double Crown Records and Otitis Media Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Otitis (US) || Soundflat (Europe)

New album: Mary Ann Hawkins || Mary Ann Hawkins

By / / Garage Rock, Surf / 1 Comment

When I pressed play without any prior knowledge, I expected to be listening to a Nashville-based folk singer-songwriter with a banjo, curly gold hair, and a pink-checkered blouse. I was wrong, once again: Mary Ann Hawkins turns out to be a surf rock outfit from Helsinki featuring five tough guys dressed in black, named after a Californian surfing pioneer, diver, swimmer and stunt double. The band, praised for their narrative music videos and sweaty live shows, previously self-released two EPs, but now here’s their self-titled debut full length. A pretty cool one, with twelve near-instrumental songs that are never boring: in every track there is a bigger idea that takes it to the next level, like shouting the title in Snake Planet, or the spaghetti western horns in Night Hawk. This is cinematic surf rock that sounds more South American than Finnish, cool music that’s exciting and danceable. Regardless of what associations you have with Mary Ann Hawkins, it’s all street credible enough to print the name on a shirt and walk around proudly.

Mary Ann Hawkins is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Svart Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Svart Records

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