Review: Surfer Blood - 1000 Palms
By Morgan Brenner, Contributor
[Joyful Noise; 2015]
Rating: 3.5/5
Key Tracks: "Grand Inquisitor," "Point of No Return," "NW Passage"
Since the conception of Surfer Blood’s first album, the Florida-born, surfer rock quad has had a rough few years. Previous to the release of its second album Pythons, singer John Paul Pitts was arrested (but not charged) with domestic battery. Due to the lack of success of Pythons, the band dropped its label; to top it all off, Surfer Blood recently announced its guitarist Thomas Fekete has a rare form of cancer.
It’s hard not to consider all of these things when listening to the group’s third LP, 1000 Palms. To get back to its roots Surfer Blood has teamed up with indie label Joyful Noise, a wise decision. The release will mark five years since the first album dropped in 2010, and 1000 Palms reflects Surfer Blood’s growth while also hinting at the personal strife its members have experienced together. All things considered, 1000 Palms is a step in the right direction, however small that step may be.
The album starts out strong, with the intriguing synth and rapid drums of “Grand Inquisitor.” Frontman Pitts sings “Walk right in you smell like tea and flowers / Where have you been?” You can tell right off the bat that Pitt’s lyricism has evolved, and is consistent in that way throughout the album.
You could say the music has matured also, although there are highs and lows throughout the record. The first single from 1000 Palms, “I Can’t Explain,” is simple yet wonderful, with romantic lyrics and first-date-at-the-beach musicality. On the other end of things, “Into the Catacombs” and “Feast – Famine” aren’t as successful in capturing your attention. They’re great in lyricism, but sound almost too similar to each other. Their simplistic guitar riffs are nothing new from the band, and isn’t that what we’re looking for?
The surf rock sound that made Surfer Blood famous doesn’t show up much besides in “Saber-Tooth & Bone” and “Covered Wagons.” Both songs allude to some of the personal struggles Pitt has faced in his personal life, such as his 2012 arrest. This is his second album since the charges were dropped but there’s still a lot of guilt in his lyrics. In “Covered Wagons” Pitt sings, “Reaching for a place where you and I can exist / But only time will tell,” and goes on to sing “Crash, burn, don’t fade away.”
“NW Passage,” one of the best songs on 1000 Palms, is the last song and very fittingly so. Pitt harmonizes with an unknown female voice, “And I’ll be there to see the day / You and I will grow not decay / We have found our North West passage.” After everything this band has been through in the past five years, this is a mellow and hopeful look to the future.
Even though it does not amount to the greatness that is Astro Coast, 1000 Palms is a sure sign the band is climbing back up to its peak. With all personal issues considered, it’s actually amazing Surfer Blood is still making music of this quality. That being said, the album is good but doesn’t stand out--which is what needs to happen if Surfer Blood is going to continue to make successful music. For now we can only hope that Fekete makes a speedy and painless recovery, for his own sake and so Surfer Blood can have a win for once.
