Record Reviews
Surfer Blood
Astro Coast
Like Christopher Owen's Girls before them (and the Beach Boys prior to them), Surfer Blood's debut album Astro Coast succeeds in reciprocating basic 60's chord sequences within easy-going reverb drenched pop songs. With an effortlessness and ease that would typically suggest years of musicianship, the band's focus on chord progression, melody and lyrics is reminiscent of the music of the nineties.
The band's first single Swim is characteristic of their strengths and fundamentally what they're best at: verbose, grand-sounding songs out of illusory naturalness. None of this is unfortunate per se, but one might be left with the impression that the rest of the album conceivably follows suit, or worse, that nothing can emulate the single's promise. The latter of these assumptions prove true.
Behind all the shit-fi cheerfulness, the longer, six-minute tracks only just pull together in the last minute or so. The album's fourth track Harmonix instantly appealed to me upon first listen, most likely because it sounds all too similar to Arcade Fire's Laika. Catholic Pagans is a somewhat sour ending to an already unremarkable album, with lyrics like "Never could be still for long, and I could never hold a job / Coupled with a weakness for cocaine and liquor, not much you can do for love" and "I don't wanna be your Russian bride, not any more / Barack Hussein Obama would have a field day, if he knew at all."
Overall Astro Coast wears a little thin and exposes the band for seemingly repeating the same song structure throughout the album's forty-minute span. For the most part their songs are derivative by-products and reinventions from other bands, and it seems they owe the better part of their success to Internet hype and trend-seeking hipster bloggers. Whilst stimulating and engaging in the short term, the album loses momentum and I envisage that if you don't get swept away with the opening track, this record probably isn't for you.
Words by Jacinda Fermanis
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Comments
bella
Hallelujah! I agree with this.
Luser
i haven't heard the album, but this is the worst review i've read on this site. i guess i've just been spoiled by all the others.
bella
damn, that's the least constructive comment I've read on this site. I guess I've just been spoiled by all the others.
Russh
df who the hell are you? If you'd actually heard the album you're realise how accurate and relevant this review is.
Russh
While I'm here, what, were you expecting cliche and inaccurate comparisons to other bands? Or obvious beach/ocean/summer references?
Luser
i bet df liked the bdo lineup ouch
Aaaaaaaaaron
I remember the days when POA was frequented by people who weren’t interested in tearing each other apart for having opinions. We would come on here and talk about what we liked/disliked and wouldn’t get carried away if someone didn’t agree.
I don’t particularly agree with the review and just like Bella voiced her opinion and praised the review, DF voiced his/hers and did not.
With all the hard work that Jonny & Mike have put in over the years, it’s great to see the site assembling a strong following but it makes it harder and harder to return when all people do bitch and complain about what everyone says. Let people say what they want to say and move on with constructive conversation of the review/gig annoucment/etc..
flukazoid
I think you're on the money Aaaaaaaaaron.
I dislike a troll just as much as the next person, but it's a bit difficult when all people seem to do is repay like with like. I know the snark and the snide is all in the spirit of the interwebs - quickwitted snipes, sarcastic jests, and all the rest - but at the end of the day the old adage is true: the only way trolls manage to live on is because people feed them.
Lochy
Totally agree, I think Surfer Blood is an outstanding debut from 5 guys who look about twelve but that is only my opinion and nothing more.
Let people say what they want, the increase in comments like DF's is a direct result of the anonymous post but at least it keeps things interesting.
Lets focus on whats important.......watching The Rabbito's smash the Beach Rd tonight!
Lochy
sorry 4 guys!
Tricks
I liked them when they had 4 tracks on myspace
Luser
Yeah, defs think the album would have worked better as an EP.
Luser
i rate this LP, it's bloody good fun. does it reinvent the musical structure aka the wheel? not really. but hey, not every band can be the drones or radiohead or the liars and if they were we might all find ourselves perpetually depressed. sometimes critics are just that and sometimes blogs are contrary for the sake of not following the masses. could the masses be right?
Luser
ha ha, anon commentera are billy corgan. i am suitably chastised.
touche!
Luser
I guess it comes down to whether an album can be enjoyable without being wholly original, which again, comes down to personal opinion. I don't think this is a bad album but I certainly don't think it's anything particularly groundbreaking (as said by timmydodgers).
Had I read this review when I first went out and bought the album I would have kicked up a shitstorm. I've been listening to it over the past few weeks and I gotta say, I totally agree with Jacinda now. Especially the Laika bit.
It'll be interesting to see whether the media fully embraces them as the next big thing.
Luser
since when is using similar structures in songs a problem? it's rocknfnroll.
Luser
Has everyone grown up and realised this review was right yet?