Juhu Beach

THE SENATE ARCADE, JUHU BEACH, MADRASO, OPEN CHOIR FIRE
(Sunset) Don't fall for the "roots music, Japanese classic music, and Southern rock" label Juhu Beach dons on their MySpace page; we all know those MySpace genres are bullshit anyway. What Juhu Beach are for reals are a burst of cathartic and raw indie rock delivered in tight-knit packages that wax and wane between early Modest Mouse—inspired guitar wailing and snappy Shellac vocal attacks. They celebrate the release of their new EP, Scene of Abandoned Industry, tonight, which is a new collection of four (five, if you count the creepy four-second voice-mail thing in the middle) songs that better represent the messy and melodic field the band currently plays in. They're still the self-deprecating drunks though..."now we should just keep on drinking, to forget what we've been thinking." -Megan Seling - The Stranger 2007

Modest Mouse comparisons are unfair burdens for any local band, simply because they immediately conjure up thoughts of Isaac Brock's curmudgeonly yelps (an acquired taste, to be sure), but in the case of Juhu Beach, such associations are inevitable. Thanks to the familiar, anguished tones springing out of vocalist-bassist Shaye Straw's throat, the Mouse immediately come to mind, but Juhu keep their sonic fingerprint unique with an influx of furious, dense guitars and a more succinct approach to song structures. Tonight they celebrate the release of their new EP...blisteringly beautiful...angular rock songs. HANNAH LEVIN Sunset Tavern, 9 p.m. $7 - The Seattle Weekly 2007

"...Their spot-on rock melodies could break through the veneer of indie-crowd indifference as well as stand up to anything an annoying frat guy would throw their way."
- Dana - Three Imaginary Girls (8/2004)

"...the band's anguished, emotional-without-sounding-emo vocals make it stand apart from the herd." - Time Out NYC (8/2005)

"Juhu Beach (from right here in Seattle) sound like early Modest Mouse with less of the hour-long art jam aspect and more anger. Shoegazer guitars are juxtaposed with hoarse vocals that passionately spit out demands like "put your back into it!" and "don't give up!" while their turbulent melodies twist songs into complicated knots."
- Megan Seling - The Stranger (11/2005)

"I demand all rock-loving Seattleites (that's you!) to stop ignoring Juhu Beach and immediately embrace their vastly underrated and pissed-off convulsions. Sure, they only have three songs out there right now via CD-R demo, so it's not a lot to love, but they're three great songs that really need to be heard. Trust me, Juhu Beach's scribbling guitars try to confuse the rough vocals that throw some of the best temper tantrums this city's seen and heard in a long time ("I'm not okay you know!!!")"
- Megan Seling - The Stranger (2/2006)

If the image and name of this EP is supposed to evoke days gone past, then the music adequately recreates the days of ’90s hard math rock obscurity. This Seattle group delivers raw spazz core, with the beats of Antelope matching wits with the passion of Rites of Spring. The result is a stripped down math rock that rips into raw frustration. The passion is palpable, the listener can feel every vocal cord being shredded –the classic punk/hardcore spirit that has gotten lost in this radio-friendly pop generation.
Tracks “Less Impressive Organism” and “But the Captain’s Still Out There” are the best examples of how the band could form into something truly unique. Their chanting meshed with solid hooky bridge instrumentation is an excellent formula to capture the crude but effective thrash rock sound. Especially the chorus of “Now We Should Keep on Drinking to Forget What We’ve Been Thinking,” in “Less Impressive Organisms,” is effective because it outlasts the intense bursts of guitar and punchy drum breakdowns and perfectly illustrates the title, rhythm and guts of the EP. It’s only four tracks long, but “Scenes of Abandoned Industry” should create some good buzz, especially for those that missed Jawbreaker and Drive Like Jehu emerging. Speaking of which, Juhu Beach’s name is a little too close to their hero’s namesake. There is enough here to make Juhu Beach a find, especially if and when their full-length ever comes out. [By: Josh Spilker]
- Wonka Vision