Buy the record, get the ones and zeros. Thank you, Mr. Swami! Modern Surf Classics is exactly what it boasts, and could even fly under the umbrella of Modern Surf Brilliance. Seek it out, preferably on vinyl, and get a free mp3 download. Really, what do you have to lose?
Monthly Archives: February 2015
Out…
iFloyd
The SO is out of town, which means bachelor weekend for this here guy! So the first thing I do… start organizing my 45s… Apart from deciding to start a new RFTC 7” collection, I discovered this outdated sticker / sampler album insert. Titled iFloyd, the now defunct 14-track sampler featured a few previously unreleased tracks (from Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Against Me!, and Dead to Me), and a slew of classic Fat Wreck Chords mainstays, reminiscent of the old Fat Music comps. Unsure of what to do with this dinosaur, I decide to leave ‘em shoved inside one of the 45 boxes, to be discovered again at a later date. Happy Friday, kids!
Addicted
It’s a bit fitting that the day, the very friggin’ day, that I run out of the glorious, remedy elixir; I stumble across a collection of tracks showcasing the same brand name. Perhaps I haven’t listened to this album in (more than) a few years, and perhaps I’ve forgotten the weight of its contents, but rest assured, that this weekend’s checklist includes the digitizing of this album, so that travels to and from work will become a new, symptom-resolving addiction.
Wednesday Night Fever Reducer
Yes, I’m well and patiently aware that it’s only Wednesday night (has there ever been a Wednesday Night Fever?), but let’s throw spit and caution to the wind and dust off our shin-kickin’ Boogie Shoes. Let a little (KC) Sunshine into your life, on this dark and drab Wednesday, and get yer ass out there on the dance floor! (Living room rug works just as well.)
Dude! Weezer!
With a crown of shame, I humbly admit that despite owning this album for over four years, I doubt I’ve ever listened to it… which doesn’t make sense considering my strict, “needs a spin before cataloging” rule. Either that, or I was completely distracted and / or under some kind of influence upon its first and only spin. Either way, I’m listening to Hurley, today, for (what seems like) the first time.
It’s difficult not to like a pop album that pays homage to the awesome Jorge Garcia and his unforgettable depiction of Hugo “Hurley” Reyes from the adventstery (adventure / mystery) TV series, Lost. And leave it to Weezer to hammer out yet another rock solid album! I can’t recommend it just yet, having not finished my (second) first listen, but as far as I’m concerned, there is no bad Weezer album.
The Shape of Zines to Come
When magazines camouflage their faces with legendary album covers, the hordes stop for a second look. Decibel Magazine, back in September of 2010, painted their printed face with a very familiar album with its 8 pages of chimerical bombination. Hats off to you, Decibel, and your creative gesture to (arguably) the greatest hardcore album ever released, 1998’s The Shape of Punk to Come, by Sweden’s Refused. It displays well, don’t you think? It’s been sitting, lovingly, atop my end table for the past 4+ years. Well done, Decibel Magazine… well done indeed.
St. Valentine’s Swami
Live in the greater Los Angeles area? Feel the need to fill your vacant void with the soothing sounds of modern surf-rock from the master of audible orgasms? Then you, my friend, should checkout Alex’s Bar this Valentine’s Day, with the bombastic barometer of Swami John Reis & the Blind Shake. As the flier says: “Wine and dine your special someone with a special chicken wing and craft beer pairing.” Really, this day of single awareness, what more could you possible ask for?
The Prudent Groove 
