Surfer Blood’s 2010 debut, Astro Coast, was a breath of fresh air in the indie-rock scene. The album reeked of a confident, brash young band that had bottled a nice sound by blending summery alt-rock anthems with smart pop sensibilities and hooks to burn. It yielded killer tracks such as ‘Floating Vibes’, ‘Harmonix’, ‘Twin Peaks’ and runaway hit, ‘Swim’. I missed the boat with their follow-up EP Tarot Classics, which dropped in late 2011, but I’m back on board with anticipation for their sophomore album and major label debut, Pythons.
The band has teamed up with producer Gil Norton, a veteran with a stack of versatile production credits; perhaps most notably he twiddled the knobs for the Pixies classic, Doolittle. He has enamoured Pythons with a bright, punchy sound that sounds robust yet takes away some of the fuzzy, understated charms of the debut. It doesn’t compromise the album but some of the rawer spark and character has been dulled. The first couple of listens didn’t really capture my interest in the way I was hoping and expecting. Thankfully, following an underwhelming first impression, the album’s smooth melodies and elusive hooks began to make an impression.
Perhaps a little darker in tone, Pythons otherwise sticks closely to the band’s signature formula of fusing dreamy vocals and bouncy rhythms into pop-infused, indie rock anthems. Yet on the whole the album’s song-writing struggles to hit the highest points of Astro Coast and as a result Pythons doesn’t resonate as deeply as its predecessor. That said, this is not a sophomore slump as such and the more subtle, less immediate hooks start to shine through repeat listens. The slight melancholy twitch that permeates sections of the album may be partly due to the behind-the-scenes turmoil of domestic assault allegations that hampered frontman John Paul Pitts early last year. Hopefully the frontman has sorted out his issues, because it would be a shame if these worrying allegations and personal demons derail Surfer Blood’s obvious talents and prevent them from realising their considerable potential.
The bouncy, upbeat cadence of opening track ‘Demon Dance’ has an enticingly catchy chorus offset by a slightly dreary tone, beginning the album on a strong note. ‘Gravity’ balances breezy vocals with a feisty and edgier instrumental base, while first single ‘Weird Shapes’ has a deceptive hook that yields rewards through repeat plays. The song features some catchy drum work, floating vocal melodies and unexpectedly aggressive backing vocals that pop-up occasionally throughout the album, recalling their obvious admiration of the Pixies, although their execution is mixed.
The drifting harmonies and sweet balladry of ‘Needles and Pins’ shifts the album’s dynamics in a pleasant fashion, before closing track ‘Prom Song’ stumbles with some flat moments and a rather ho-hum chorus. Pythons‘ problem is not that it has an abundance of weak songs; it’s more that the album struggles to reach the lofty song-writing peaks of the debut, lacking the potency and irresistible hooks that made Astro Coast such a surprising hit. Though in its defence, Pythons plays around with some interesting ideas and fares better after the initial couple of listens, revealing a subtlety and depth that isn’t immediately apparent.
At a fraction under 35-minutes, Surfer Blood keep it short and sweet, yet they still manage to pack plenty of energy into the concise playing time. The musicianship is tight and compact, while the ethereal vocal melodies and downbeat lyrics from Pitts are tinged with regret and the angst, confusion and sadness that comes with a tumultuous or fractured relationship. Pythons contains its fair share of gems amidst a solid overall experience, yet on the back of such a strong, endearing debut, the album falls short of expectations. Hopefully next time round they’ll deliver on the promise of Astro Coast and create something with greater spark and quality.
Warner Music
7/10
Reviewer: Luke Saunders