SURFER BLOOD – Tarot Classics (Part 1)

Sarah, Marites, and AudioVole newcomer Katie Gallegos indulge in a 3-way conversation about Surfer Blood’s new EP Tarot Classics. Sarah kicks off the conversation but lobs the hard questions over to Marites and Katie because, as acting editor, she can do that. These three ladies also play in a band together and want you to know they will do more shameless plugging in AudioVole conversations to come!

Surfer Blood – “Miranda”

From: Sarah Braunstein
To: Marites Velasquez and Katie Gallegos

Hello gal pals! This week we’re talking Surfer Blood, the Florida quartet who released their first LP, Astro Coast, early on in 2010 and are coming back at us today with the 4 track EP Tarot Classics on Kanine Records.

I have to assume you both listened to Astro Coast a bit last year, whether you wanted to or not. Their breakout track, “Swim,” was the subject of so many “oh my god have you heard this” posts and subsequently made a place for itself on all sorts of best-of lists. John Paul Pitts singing “Swim! To Reach! The End!” over that anthemic 7-note guitar riff became the earworm of 2010. I liked “Swim” at first but those feelings soon came undone and I wanted to return to the time when I hadn’t yet heard all the glory of that 3-minute power ballad. Because I just couldn’t stop hearing it.

Don’t worry, though. My about-face on “Swim” didn’t spoil the rest of Astro Coast for me and I still really enjoy some of that album, especially “Slow Jabroni” and “Anchorage.” I’ve got a thing for distortion and the songs that aren’t so stadium-ready and burn a little slower than “Swim” are the ones that made me warm to Surfer Blood.

And now with Tarot Classics, Surfer Blood presents us with a tight little 15-minute package of four songs; each track is distinct yet they manage to get along well with each other in such close quarters. These songs are catchy, enjoyable, well-produced sonic nuggets. And…wait for it…objection forthcoming. Maybe I’m a lo-fi snob or something, but I feel as though this EP lacks some of the depth that I was able to connect with on Astro Coast. The exception comes with the last track, “Drinking Problem,” which sounds like the same band that made “Anchorage” but with an added layer of maturity. “Drinking Problem” is also the only track on Tarot Classics that uses any distortion so maybe I just confuse guitar muddling with musical depth. Why’d you have to go and point that out?

And now a slew of questions for the two of you: What’s was your take on Surfer Blood’s first LP (if you listened to it) and the direction they’re taking with Tarot Classics? What do you think of the vocal and guitar lines that seem to run parallel and share parts throughout the EP, or did you pick up on that at all? You’re both musicians so I’m curious to know what strikes you about Surfer Blood’s sound on this EP compared to Astro Coast. And last but not least, do you agree with me that Surfer Blood had been listening to LCD Soundsystem’s “All My Friends” when they made “Voyager Reprise?”

“Miranda, Miranda, Miranda,”
Sarah

Get the new Surfer Blood EP Tarot Classics here:
Kanine Records | InSound | Amazon