The Dewars do 420 for County Grind
All about Surfer Blood
More on new band Wake Up
Last night, while attending Lake Worth dive Propaganda's newest indie dance night B-side, we had some good musical fortune. We not only witnessed the homecoming of twin-brother, off-kilter, psych-folk duo the Dewars (now based out of St. Augustine) and the unveiling of Evan Mui's chiming rock side project Wake Up but had the chance to chat up West Palm Beach indie-rock heroes Surfer Blood. As luck would have it, Surfer Blood had just returned from Los Angeles, where they had laid down the 12 tracks that will make up their Warner Bros. Records' full-length debut.
With a Cigar City Maduro Brown microbrew in hand, New Times shot the breeze with Surfer Blood frontman J.P. Pitts and guitarist Thomas Fekete about the band's upcoming project and what lies ahead for the quartet.
The two of them seemed content with the final outcome of the record. Pitts called it "the best album the band has ever recorded, so far." Fans of Astro Coast need not despair either; Pitts says that stylistically, the four-piece did not stray far from its winning formula. "The album is chocked full of pop moments with a number of brooding numbers throw in as well."
Pitts was particularly ecstatic with Warner Bros.' choice to use famed British producer Gil Norton -- of Pixies and Echo and the Bunnymen fame -- to help with studio fixings. "We had been talking with Gil for a few months about our vision for the record and were pleased to have him help us out in the studio."
Getting into the recording studio was a long time coming for Surfer Blood though. Almost one year passed from the moment the four-piece officially inked the Warner Bros. deal to the group laying down the album's tracks. The four Surfer Blood members were whisked away to a three-bedroom apartment, not far from Echo Park, for two months, to wax their album's direction. They were bequeathed three weeks worth of time at EastWest Recording Studio, with Norton and seasoned studio engineer Dan Austin assisting.
The band is throwing around three names for its yet-unnamed venture but is in high spirits that the effort is breathing life. Fekete admits to us that he's completely fulfilled with the studio project. "As long as I can keep touring and avoiding real life, I'm happy."
So as to not compete with "the Green Days of the world," the group has opted to release its record in the first quarter of 2013. New Times wishes the Surfer Blood lads the best of luck. We are confident that the band's new record will be aces and make all of South Florida proud.
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