IN REVIEW: Surf Curse - "Magic Hour"

 

After a slow ascent that saw them self-release their first three albums over the course of six years, Surf Curse found fame in the way that so many young and hungry bands do in this modern age; Freaks, written in 2011 and originally released on their debut Buds in 2013, found itself a sudden smash after soundtracking memes on TikTok in 2020, eventually garnering over 200 million streams and earning the group a major label contract. 

The first album following their breakthrough, Magic Hour finds plenty of changes in store for fans; now expanded to a four-piece, this album immediately sets itself apart from previous releases based on the fuller sound in the songs alone. Couple that with a step away from the lo-fi aesthetic that played a part in earlier releases and this is obviously going to be a different experience than people may have hyped themselves up for. That said, the crunchy, energized Arrow and the lush, dreamy Cathy combine for a very strong start even as they fly in the face of expectations.

These tracks act as a kind of blueprint for the record, as the tracks that follow employ similar strategies; Sugar rides a pretty, easy going melody into a cacophonous chorus that displays both sides of the album's dynamic, while Lost Honor is a jangly slice of post-punk. This is followed by Self Portrait, an impressive dose of thrashy '90s nostalgia, calling to mind all manner of fringe acts from alt-rock's heyday. Unwell, meanwhile, shows they're not afraid to stretch their proverbial legs, its six minute run time allowing plenty of breathing room for its layered guitars and locked in rhythm.

Perhaps the most laid back song on the album, Strange reaches further back in time to recall classic Stones at their most rootsy, while TVI most closely resembles their past material with its breezy rhythms and fiery chorus. The album's home stretch sees them stretch out more, with the sunny Little Rock n' Roller, the dreamy, drawn out No Tomorrows, the joyful, saxophone and spoken word-aided racket of Fear City and the slow burning bruiser Randall Flagg.

All told, Magic Hour might be a little bogged down by the breadth of its ideas, and it's admittedly a bit uneven, especially on its second half; still, it's a promising development that hints that a proper artistic breakthrough may be in the cards down the line that could help prevent Surf Curse from going into the history books as just another TikTok band.

October 7, 2022 • Atlantic

Highlights Arrow • Sugar • Self Portrait