Surfer Blood – Astro Coast

It’s easy to fall in love with Surfer Blood’s first album Astro Coast. The newest album to go down the ‘€œalt-bro’€ road, a genre based on plaid-clad bros with guitars, Surfer Blood’s summer inspired beats, probably based off of their lives at a Florida university, and their easy guitar riffs make it a synch to learn and bop along to. But underneath that easy exterior is a deeper talent and raw understanding of music.

Songs like their first single Swim show a layered quality to their music, pushing guitar before vocals, but not letting their lyrics fall to the wayside even in the collection of strong instrumentals. Each song has its own sound, some more upbeat than others, and some like Slow Jabroni, not quite as sunny. But the boys have been careful to not let the album fall apart despite different musical ideas, and instead stringing it together with winning hooks, boyish charm, and an obvious love for Joy Division. Pitt’s confusion and frustration with love, religion, and friends are seen throughout the album but seem masked in songs as upbeat as Take it Easy. Twin Peaks, another upbeat song they say is about a cat and a week up in Syracuse, has a bit of a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory spirit to it (think Tim Burton’s oompa-loopas). While on the other hand Floating Vibes houses the easiest guitar riffs of all, their lyrics hold it together, making Pitt seem like a seasoned pro instead of a budding star. Surfer Blood’s album is a true gem of a first album. I can’t wait to see where they go with their sound.

Songs Recommended: Swim, Floating Vibes & Take it Easy

Rating: 4.5