SXSW Ridiculousness, Part 5: Surfer Blood

Another band that I had heard a ton about prior to SXSW was Surfer Blood. I've been listening to their debut LP, Astro Coast for a month or two now, and I've been really enjoying it. I had heard mixed reviews of their live show, though - a few complaints about lackluster stage presence mixed in with raves about their playing.

After checking the band out a couple times in Austin, I can see where both sides of the discussion are coming from. Surfer Blood is not an experienced band - they look like kids on stage, and I would be surprised if all of the members of the band could legally buy themselves a drink after the show. They lack a little bit of the showmanship that comes along with age and tour-maturity. They don't necessarily grab your attention when they take the floor.

Luckily, their songs are good enough to command some of that attention once they start playing. The tunes from Astro Coast are catchy and bright, and the perfect sort of music to rock out to on a sunny afternoon in the middle of Texas. Seeing these guys play made me really excited for summer - this disc is going to be in high rotation on hot days, I think. There's a reason they're called Surfer Blood - this band was built for the beach.

Surfer Blood - Swim (YSI) (filesavr)

Surfer Blood - Take It Easy (YSI) (filesavr)