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I had an aisle seat at the front of the plane when I checked in this morning for my cross-country trip to San Francisco.  However, William Shatner  neglected to mention that, if the flight is overbooked, people that pay retail get first dibs and you, the Priceline bargain hunter, are punished. 

In my case, the air travel gods threw a little bonus in.  I’ve got a middle seat and the guy next to me has been sneezing for 3 minutes and counting.

Alas, there is a silver lining.  These long flights are great for catching up on new music.  And Delta has in-flight Internet.  So, from 10,000 feet, I recommend Surfer Blood’s Astro Coast.

DNA:  Pavement, Weezer, The Chameleons UK, Dinosaur Jr

Surfer Blood hails from West Palm Beach, FL- an area known for neither surfers nor blood.  The sound is upbeat mid-90s alt rock mixed in with some very creative arrangements, which is surprising considering how young these guys are. Seriously- look at these guys, the Taylor Swift controversy is older than they are. 

What’s most surprising is that the quintet was formed in mid-2009 and in the time since, have completed a great album, toured the US, and from what I’ve read, rocked CMJ in New York last month.  Surfer Blood is breaking their band the old-fashioned way- touring their hearts out and bringing memorable shows to the unsuspecting masses.  I’ll be at Snug Harbor in Charlotte to see them on February 22.  If you’re in the neighborhood, you should try to check them out.

 The Music
“Swim” is a great track and serves as a nice microcosm of what Surfer Blood’s all about- serious melodic versatility.  The track starts with BIG vocals- arena rock big- then tapers off into what would happen if Weezer and The Chameleons tried to out-anthem each other in your garage.  In between, there’s an unexpected bridge arrangement that offers a brief foray into Afro rhythm percussion.  This reminded me of the best of Vampire Weekend without the rest of Vampire Weekend.  While a lot is packed into 3 minutes here, ”Swim” never seems hurried or overdone. 

“Twin Peaks” is another great example of the group’s melodic versatility, ranging from 1960’s surf-rock guitar to Caribbean rhythms to 80’s synth.  As a musician, I can’t really say enough about Surfer Blood’s rhythm section.  These guys are mixing time signatures and whole genres seamlessly, and the result is something cool and new each time you listen.  “Floating Vibe” is a direct translation from the verses of Pavement, but still a great track.       

By and large, if you enjoyed 90s alt-rock, you’ll love Surfer Blood.  Check them out.

“Swim” by Surfer Blood

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“Twin Peaks” by Surfer Blood

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“Floating Vibe” by Surfer Blood

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