Koko Beware

When first listening to the new record by Koko Beware, one might immediately judge and classify this band into the indie pop genre. This classification slowly debunks itself as the release is listened to over and over. Determining what the roots and influences are in the music itself seems like it could be an easy task for any listener.

A ‘50s high school prom style of surf rock/surf punk is the perfect description of sound within the songs. Many different bands these days seem to be producing material in a fashion that makes them sound more “old school.” Koko Beware do just that, though their tones fit perfectly within the recording style—making it a perfect match in quality and song. Every track could easily remind the listener of a fun day at the beach, which leads to its immaculate title, Something About The Summer.

“Beach Babe” has a sudden drop in tempo and groove in its chorus that literally widened my eyes. This interesting aspect really shows the band’s courage in experimentation with musical construction. Koko Beware have made the vibe they seem to be aiming for very accessible, in the sense that they stay close to what their 2011 release, ))<>((.

Something About The Summer is a pretty basic listen for how revealing it is in its accomplishments. It’s definitely nice to see how the aspect of satisfaction towards fans is coupled with the satisfaction towards the band itself. What these musicians produce next should most certainly be something interesting. - The Aquarian Weekly

For Koko Beware, minimalism is the name of the game. The local four-piece (recently relocated from Augusta) heartily embraces a no-frills approach to its music—an artful blend of flighty, innocuous surf-pop and suggestive garage-rock that surpasses expectations of what that combination might entail.

#The appropriately concise (clocking in at 28 minutes) Something About the Summer is, indeed, a warm-weather record, a lazy, heat-laden missive full of youthful debauchery and slow, slithery bass-heavy grooves. Familiar references abound: "I Want To" calls to mind the more rockabilly-ish moments of punk titans X; "Pretty Girls" sounds like The Black Lips as fronted by Fred Schneider; "Stay" is all fractured-Spector doo-wop and romantic misadventure.

#The only major drawback to Something About the Summer is the production, which is technically fine but also comes off rather inert; it tends to render the record somewhat lifeless. Koko Beware's purposefully blasé style is a huge part of its charm but would be endlessly more effective if countered by a sharper, edgier recording. Still, as far as content, Summer is a winner. - Flagpole Magazine

As we head into the hotter part of the season (in most parts of the U.S., anyway), someone involved with Koko Beware’s full-length debut had the smart idea of dropping Something About the Summer, out August 7th. If the production weren’t pretty aggressively lo-fi, the sounds on this album could pass for a steamy-day hallucination. Ryan Beresch, Ashley Plocha, and Albert Omstead aren’t afraid of a little dissonance – in fact, they embrace vocal harmonies that sound just “off” enough to set them apart. Fans of La Sera, Hunx, Heavy Hawaii, and X are likely to respond to Koko Beware’s distorted surf chords, call-and-response vocals, and vaguely disaffected, teenage vibe. - My Old Kentucky Blog

If you thought surf rock was dead, look no further than Koko Beware’s new album, Something About the Summer, for some convincing evidence to the contrary. On Something About the Summer, Koko Beware turns up the reverb and explores a style rare in today’s indie music world. The result is an edgy, distinctly modern take on a genre more frequently encountered in pop music 50 years ago.

Fans of classic surf rock will be pleased to hear familiar sounds on Something About the Summer. Koko Beware makes sure to have the elements of surf rock clearly displayed throughout the album, from the reverb-y rhythm guitar to the simplistic melody plucked out on a cleaner-channel axe. As such, Koko Beware preserves the catchiness of classic surf rock, along with the music’s ability to set any head bopping.

While Koko Beware explores a well-trodden genre on Something About the Summer, they have undeniably added modern elements to diversify their sound. Despite their adherence to several stylistic habits of classic surf rockers, Koko Beware does forgo a horn section, an element that frequently appears in more traditional surf rock. Koko probably chose to skip the horns to allow their sound to be edgier than surf rock past. This is consistent with other stylistic choices on the album, like the under-produced quality of the record or the use of vocals more suited to punk rock than surf rock. Listening to Something About the Summer invokes more images of rough garage rockers than pretty boys in cardigans. Despite their foundation in a well-known style, Koko Beware brings something distinctly new to the table.

What Koko Beware has accomplished with Something About the Summer may seem paradoxical: they have done something new for indie music by harkening back to a tried-and-true style. By mixing classic hooks with a more modern edge, they’ve crafted an album that will go far towards reviving a genre that has faded and positioned themselves as the new face of surf rock. - Pop Press International

This Athens, Ga. ensemble clearly likes Miranda July. Their first EP, ))<>((, is an obvious reference. And while their debut LP, Something About the Summer, only boasts one nod to the same motif (“Back and Forth Forever”), the influence still prevails. It’s magnetic in that quirky-cute way, but a dash of unforced, totally natural weirdness keeps Koko Beware from the cringe-worthy territory claimed by the likes of doe-eyed Zoey “my vintage dress is so original!” Deschanel.

Lead track “Pretty Girls” employs the alternating guy-girl vocals and gurgly surf-style guitars that underscore the album, and the off-kilter chords and vocals add that crucial dash of strange. “Feed Me” is a bit more melodic and easier on the ears, but the highly discernible lyrics of the jointly sung chorus—”Feed me baby/ Feed me baby, oh yeah”—again give a little oddness to an otherwise typical tune. Lovey-dovey, cutesy-cuteness is what makes “Beach Babe” similarly sticky, but even more so. It’s one of those perfect little gems for mixes, the kind you’ll repeat over and over until you can’t take it anymore. “I Just Wanna Dance” is just as infectious. By this point in the album, the shoulder-shaking pop of Koko Beware is sturdy. The female vocals hold court on “Stay”, giving the track a girl-group vibe that’s reinforced by background oohs and ahhs. But as with the rest of the LP, nothing’s quite perfect—and that’s partly why it works. There’s something genuinely off in every song, making it irresistibly endearing. - Get Bent

KOKO BEWARE
kokobeware.com

Aw, who doesn't love a wrestling reference? Georgia's surf rock duo, Koko Beware, announced the release of their debut album, Something About Summer, to be released on August 7th, 2012.

I read that the album is supposed to be surfy/jangly… and if you spot a mistake, it's okay because they believe that it's about having a good time and mistakes are happy accidents. I got the impression that the duo don't really take themselves too seriously, like you can hang out with them.

Anyway, look for the album in August, around the same time, you can catch them in Brooklyn at the Legion Bar on August 3rd.

PS, they should tagteam with Cavemen, who have an album called CoCo Beware. - We Heart Music

- Meanwhile, Athens surf rock Koko Beware announced the Aug. 7 release of debut LP Something About the Summer.

Here’s a release from the band:

The jangly, surf-infused tracks of Koko Beware fall somewhere in between a night of house parties and a sunny day at the beach. With roots all over the south, Koko Beware is no stranger to either scenario. Delivering catchy hooks, a little bit of call and return, and lots of reverb, the band recalls an era when music was about making mistakes and having a good time.”

In December of 2010, Ryan Beresch and Albert Omstead decided they wanted to start a girl band, but they were missing one key component: a girl. The two chose to set this dream to the side and began working on writing songs together with Ryan on lead guitar and vocals and Albert providing bass and backing vocals. Ryan transformed previously written folk lyrics into surf-infused pop songs, blending Dick Dale and The Ramones in a perfect mix of grungy, summery tunes. The next spring, Ryan met Ashley Plocha, an art student in Savannah, looking to take her music more seriously. The two began to collaborate, and suddenly the dream was realized – Ashley was singing lead and providing reverb-laden rhythm guitar for Koko Beware.

As Ryan and Ashley bonded over writing and playing music, they decided to spend the rest of their lives making it happen together. The couple relocated to Athens, GA, which they soon called home. After a string of several successful live shows and opening for bands such as The Love Language and Ryat, Koko Beware recorded the four-track EP titled “))<>((”, released in September 2011. The band immediately set to working on a self-produced full-length LP.

In February 2012, they recorded the full-length album Something About the Summer with engineer Alex Kroh at Chase Park Transduction. Comprised of twelve original songs written by Ryan, Ashley and Albert over the past year, the album was recorded, mixed and mastered in two days.

They packed up their white Astro van and embarked on an extended weekend tour of the southeast. Upon arriving home, they immediately missed traveling endlessly and playing shows every night and are now in the works of putting together a four-month fall tour of cities across the country. While Koko Beware’s home will always be Georgia, their hearts belong to the adventure of life on the road. - Abandoned Couches

Koko Beware are a married couple who enjoy the simple things in life – particularly when that comes to music. They release their debut album Something About The Summer in August and it is packed full of summery guitar pop that throws caution to the wind and just concentrates on one thing – having a good time.

Influences are joyfully celebrated from the surf guitar of Dick Dale to the beach harmonies of the Beach Boys and the garage punk punch of the Black Lips. The jangly guitars deliver catchy hooks galore, joyfully utilise a bit of call and response in the vocals, and back it all up with lots of reverb.

Best of all, they effortlessly conjure up images of nights spent cruising the beachfront in a 1950s Chevy.

Download Koko Beware – Beach Babe mp3 (from Something About The Summer) - Mad Mackerel

Koko Beware are a married couple who enjoy the simple things in life – particularly when that comes to music. They release their debut album Something About The Summer in August and it is packed full of summery guitar pop that throws caution to the wind and just concentrates on one thing – having a good time.

Influences are joyfully celebrated from the surf guitar of Dick Dale to the beach harmonies of the Beach Boys and the garage punk punch of the Black Lips. The jangly guitars deliver catchy hooks galore, joyfully utilise a bit of call and response in the vocals, and back it all up with lots of reverb.

Best of all, they effortlessly conjure up images of nights spent cruising the beachfront in a 1950s Chevy.

Download Koko Beware – Beach Babe mp3 (from Something About The Summer) - Mad Mackerel

I just wanna dance es el single elegido por Koko Beware como anticipo de Something About the Summer (2012), el que será su álbum que aparecerá en breve. La música de Koko Beware se mueve a medias entre el Lo-Fi y el Surf-Pop, con la soltura de las olas californianas de las que tanto se habla en la crítica musical y que seguro que ni el 5 por ciento de los músicos o críticos serían capaces de tomar.
El sencillo es un obsequio de Odd Box Recordings. Puedes obtenerlo desde aquí. - The Janglebox

Surf-garage radar-duckers Koko Beware are prepping a full-length release for next month. The lead single is a tasty number called “I Just Wanna Dance” that's got this reverb-y guitar lead and melody that makes it resemble a surf song, but it's really closer to an indie-pop Ramones song. The album's title is Something About the Summer, and the band recorded it at Chase Park Transduction with engineer Alex Kroh. They're gonna do the triple-threat format blast of releasing this on vinyl, cassette and CD, and will be accepting pre-orders at the end of April. Keep up with all their goings on over at www.kokobeware.com. - Flagpole