Surf Rock is Dead

These days Orange County California is known more for its chapter of The Real Housewives and fictional teenage messes like The OC’s Marissa Cooper than for being the birthplace of surf rock. In fact, if you were to ask for the biggest cultural contribution Orange County has provided the world, a lot of gum smacking, Keystone Light-drinking sorority girls would burp out, “Uh… Lauren Conrad?” But surf rock is still alive it seems, it’s simply moved cross-country to Brooklyn, where bands like DIIV, Beach Fossils, and The Drums are making music that feels like sipping margs while basking on the sun-kissed sand.

Joining these now established acts as sonic counterparts are Kevin Pariso and Joel Witenberg who make up Surf Rock Is Dead (and originally hail from Chicago and Melbourne, Australia). If Lana Del Rey can be the “Queen of Coney Island," these dudes can definitely pick up on New York’s estranged beachy vibes too. Premiering below is their new track, “Late Risers,” which embodies the genre’s lazy haze through a new wave, Cure-like filter (check the basslines). It’s a testament to the power of the human imagination—and their bleached grooves—that this can conjure a baking beach and some existential ennui in the middle of a frigid winter.

On writing the song, Witenberg says, "On this track we were going for a big sound whilst maintaining our live feel; the music itself is really bright while the lyrics dive into dark territory. Once we started jamming on the goofy riffs at the beginning, the track wrote itself.” - Noisey (Vice)

Brooklyn-based duo Surf Rock is Dead's music rushes over you like a crisp wave, with eclectic melodies and upbeat drums that recall the sounds and images of summer. Members Kevin Pariso and Joel Witenberg had both been heavily involved in music before coming together to form Surf Rock is Dead, a new project that allowed them to experiment to the fullest with their sound. The result: a unique blend of its east coast rock influence mixed with the chill vibes reminiscent of Califonia. So, despite the sardonic name, they're revitalizing the surf rock genre.

Their latest track, "Zen A" features hazy vocals and layers of gritty guitar and upbeat drums. It's revitalizing and laid-back all at the same time—a strange contradiction that leaves you pressing play on the track over and over again. As Pariso puts it, "With a darker approach to tone and harmonic vibe, the verbed filled layers and delays created a zened out feel that laid the foundation of the song. With Joel singing lead mostly on this track, we felt it immediately widened our sound...when we finished the ending it seemed hilariously huge and borderline inappropriate for the track."

If you're in the area, don't miss out on Surf Rock is Dead's show at Rough Trade in Brooklyn on March 21. And be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter. - Nylon

After listening to "Anymore" for just a second or two, it becomes apparent that Brooklyn duo Surf Rock Is Dead (Kevin Pariso and Joel Witenberg) is operating under a knowingly ironic moniker. The single's lithe guitar lead traces the entire history of surfy jangle, from the genre's early-'60s inception through the days of chiming Factory and Creation Records bands, arriving somewhere in the present alongside the gentle Atlantic Coast wanderings of Beach Fossils and Real Estate.

A slightly more muscular guitar texture emerges in the song's last minute, suggesting a soft-focus take on shoegaze; it pushes the mood beyond seashore tranquility, urging the afloat-in-reverb vocals to wade out deeply into classic summer-pop themes of longing, nostalgia, and freedom. At its core, this is modern surf music, but there's nothing frothy about it.

The single (artwork below) will be featured on a forthcoming, currently nameless EP due out September 18. Hear more tracks from the upcoming release over on the band's soundcloud. And here are a few words from Witenberg: "Reminiscent of the times we've all had, Anymore is about being sick of a situation that is always the same..." Listen here. - Under The Radar

Funny how surfing has transformed itself into one of the most musical of pastimes.

Out there on the waves, little can be heard above the roar of the emotion with intense concentration blotting out all other sounds.

It's a recurring motif in music, however. Surf Rock Is Dead have clearly been near a board or two, with the Brooklyn based duo allowing the infinite calm of the ocean to filter into their music.

New cut 'Never Be The Same' is a softly hued piece of cute-as-hell indie pop with some serious surf vibes. From the chiming guitars to the dappled vocals, this is a heavenly confection.

Check it out now. - CLASH