Surf City--Kudos--A Big Hazy Beautiful Noise

I am listening right now to Kudos, the not so recently released album by the New Zealand act Surf City, released on Arch Hill Record and also Fire. If you are a partisan of the New Zealand indie music scene of the 80's and 90's, there is probably no way you won't love this album. If you don't know much about Flying Nun Records and Xpressway, after hearing Kudos you will probably want to investigate. Surf City's sound is a throwback to some of the greatest groups of the era, like The Clean and The Chills. Undoubtedly there have been other bands to be inspired by these great Kiwi bands of the past, but Surf City really do it with so much panache and ability. In addition to being inspired by the classic music of their homeland, their songs are also influenced by noisy experimental/shoe gaze groups, like Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain. Maybe its my broken eardrums, but I really can't understand a word of what they are singing. For me, what creates goosebumps are the big overdriven riffs so reminiscent of David Kilgour's guitar technique.

Kaleidoscope Swirled

Because noise can be beautiful. I probably realized this listening to groups like Sonic Youth and Live Skull.
Then there was My Bloody Valentine and the whole Shoegaze movement that followed, plus the dark majesty of noisy greats Bailter Space, who could fill up a room with an amplified low end racket as thick as syrup. It's quite clear that the members of Surf City understand what I'm talking about. The songs blend together in a hallucinatory fashion. They really sound great here. It's the first album out of New Zealand that I've heard in a while that really smacks me in the head. Even though they remind me of Kiwi bands and Shoegaze, in some ways their energy, vitality and inventiveness make them kindred spirits of Mission of Burma, who are pretty much one of a kind artists. Kudos is a truly excellent album, and the scary thing is that I think that these guys are just starting out. I think the sky is the limit with this band.



Davin Stoddard: Vocals, Guitar
Jamie Kennedy: Bass Vocals
Josh Kennedy: Guitar
Logan Collins: Drums

When I saw John Wesley Harding open for Ian Hunter recently, he explained his jokey title for his new album. He entitled it "The sound of his own voice", so that a reviewer would be compelled to say, for example, Robert Christgau loves "the sound of his own voice". I wonder if Surf City had the same idea, so that a reviewer would say Surf City---Kudos to Kudos. I always wanted to put out an album and call it "worst album ever", so some critic could say "the album fully lived up to the expectations of its title".



But all digressions aside, Kudos is an album well worth expending your filthy lucre on. I like the fact that they look to their own country's musical heritage for inspiration. Honestly, for a country that is, as they say "outnumbered by sheep", New Zealanders have a lot to be proud of. Listening to music, rather than listening to what people think you ought to like. And judging by Surf City the future is looking bright.

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Surfing Satori--New Zealand's New Contenders Surf City

Box Of Budgies

I have not heard the the album Kudos by Surf City, a new band from New Zealand. It comes out here November 1, and I can't wait. Their first recording from 2008 (the Foghorn Leghorn gone postal eponymous Ep), was an anarchic blender whirling of The Clean, Pavement, Kaleidoscope World-era Chills, Beach Boys, Bird Nest Roys, Undertones, Jesus and Mary Chain, Animal Collective, even Sonic Youth. With my love of the classic New Zealand sound of the 80's, 30 seconds listening into this ep and it was like hitching a ride in a Flying Nun Records Time Machine. Well, to be fair, they have greatly updated the Kiwi sound for the 21st century. I have high expectations for Kudos--their ep was some of the most exciting music I've heard lately. I only wish I didn't have to wait two years for this!

So noisy, exuberant, yet so harmonious. I have no idea what they are singing about on this album, but I love every minute of this short 6 song recording. Surf City is comprised of  guitarists Josh Kennedy, Davin Stoddard, drummer Logan Collins and Jamie Kennedy on bass. Headin' Inside, the opening song, is reminiscent of songs like Tally Ho! and Getting Older by the Clean with the wonderful organ and guitar treble. Dickshaker's Union is very much a distorted and alternatized version of a Chill's song like Satin Doll, or Kaleidoscope World. But all in all the influences add up to being more than a sum of their parts, as this music is absolutely brilliant.

Twenty years ago New Zealand music captured the attention of music fans around the world. The Chills, Clean, Bats, Verlaines, Bailter Space. Unfortunately, at some point it seems that people stopped paying attention to the scene there. You have to believe that there were worthwhile projects going on. I can readily attest to that. I think if Surf City's new album is any bit as good as its first, they are going to take the world by storm. Well, maybe that statement is a little excessive. I'll say this much--this band is exciting, with a lot of potential, and I think that if you give it a fair listen you will become a big fan, as I am.