Surfer Blood - Pythons (19/08/2013)
After a tumultuous time since their debut release, mainly from a worrying accusation of domestic abuse against lead singer John Paul Pitts, Surfer Blood have released their sophomore LP Pythons. As the tenth track winds down, you can’t help but feel that Pitts has managed to squeeze his unfortunate story into the 34 minutes of Pythons. But then again, maybe everyone’s been reading into Pythons a bit too much.
Straight off the bat we get a sense of Pitts story coming through in Demon Dance. He muses about, what can only be assumed to be, experiences with his ex-girlfriend but as he describes, “dishonest and cruel people” he’s come across. “Come on, Raven let me collect my winnings/ I could be the one who puts you back,” is just a taster of the concealed story. Regardless of who it’s about, the track serves as a great opening number and something you’d hear on a Weezer album.
Stepping out of their pop branding, Surfer Blood have gotten a bit rock with their track, I Was Wrong. Granted, it isn’t a track to bring out your leathers and head bang to, but with its sturdy beat and strong vocals it’s definitely something that’ll make a pub playlist.
Although a much simpler track on the album, especially in comparison to songs from Astro Coast, Squeezing Blood serves as a great insight into the different directions that the band can take. Squeezing Blood may continue the arduous topic of relationships gone wrong, but at least the track mixes things up with a dynamic guitar solo this time around.
Making up for the similar themed tracks heard earlier, Say Yes To Me, masks a pleading declaration of love in a tightly formed indie-pop track. Set against a fast paced beat and led by Pitt’s breathy vocals, Say Yes To Me becomes a tribute to the Surfer Blood that you know and love, clichés permitted.
With what seems like an album full of spiteful tracks you’d think a happier track would be welcome, but this isn’t the case for Blair Witch. With its lacklustre lyrics Blair Witch takes the form of a musical adaptation of a corny love story. This is one of those songs that you can’t help but cringe at, and wish it had been kept private instead of included in a mass produced 10 track album.
Instantly a dark, broody side of Surfer Blood bursts out of the speakers as Pitt’s vocals are matched seamlessly with jangling guitar riffs and a consistent drumbeat. This is all thanks to Slow Six, which is without a doubt the standout of the album. As erratic as the thoughts of a betrayed man, the song suddenly shifts and eases itself into a slow beat, allowing itself the element of surprise.
After their debut release was placed on the “best of” lists from music print icons such as Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NME and the BBC, it’s fair to say that a little more was expected of them their second time around. With enough time to grow and expand their skills, it seems Surfer Blood haven’t seized the opportunity, and instead have produced an album that doesn’t incite much of anything. But that’s not to say the whole album is a let down. There are a handful of radio worthy pop tunes that will be hummed along to by many misguided youths, but it just falls short of reaching it’s full potential as a sophomore album to cement themselves in the industry.
Amanda Sherring
Straight off the bat we get a sense of Pitts story coming through in Demon Dance. He muses about, what can only be assumed to be, experiences with his ex-girlfriend but as he describes, “dishonest and cruel people” he’s come across. “Come on, Raven let me collect my winnings/ I could be the one who puts you back,” is just a taster of the concealed story. Regardless of who it’s about, the track serves as a great opening number and something you’d hear on a Weezer album.
Stepping out of their pop branding, Surfer Blood have gotten a bit rock with their track, I Was Wrong. Granted, it isn’t a track to bring out your leathers and head bang to, but with its sturdy beat and strong vocals it’s definitely something that’ll make a pub playlist.
Although a much simpler track on the album, especially in comparison to songs from Astro Coast, Squeezing Blood serves as a great insight into the different directions that the band can take. Squeezing Blood may continue the arduous topic of relationships gone wrong, but at least the track mixes things up with a dynamic guitar solo this time around.
Making up for the similar themed tracks heard earlier, Say Yes To Me, masks a pleading declaration of love in a tightly formed indie-pop track. Set against a fast paced beat and led by Pitt’s breathy vocals, Say Yes To Me becomes a tribute to the Surfer Blood that you know and love, clichés permitted.
With what seems like an album full of spiteful tracks you’d think a happier track would be welcome, but this isn’t the case for Blair Witch. With its lacklustre lyrics Blair Witch takes the form of a musical adaptation of a corny love story. This is one of those songs that you can’t help but cringe at, and wish it had been kept private instead of included in a mass produced 10 track album.
Instantly a dark, broody side of Surfer Blood bursts out of the speakers as Pitt’s vocals are matched seamlessly with jangling guitar riffs and a consistent drumbeat. This is all thanks to Slow Six, which is without a doubt the standout of the album. As erratic as the thoughts of a betrayed man, the song suddenly shifts and eases itself into a slow beat, allowing itself the element of surprise.
After their debut release was placed on the “best of” lists from music print icons such as Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, NME and the BBC, it’s fair to say that a little more was expected of them their second time around. With enough time to grow and expand their skills, it seems Surfer Blood haven’t seized the opportunity, and instead have produced an album that doesn’t incite much of anything. But that’s not to say the whole album is a let down. There are a handful of radio worthy pop tunes that will be hummed along to by many misguided youths, but it just falls short of reaching it’s full potential as a sophomore album to cement themselves in the industry.
Amanda Sherring