Album Review: Surfer Blood - Pythons

Pythons was marred with drama from inception, with the arrest of frontman John Paul Pitts over suspicion of domestic violence. That incident in turn saw a stack of bands turn their nose up at the prospect of touring with them. Eep.

But, drama aside, the album is well-crafted, intelligent and packed with all manner of heavy surf-pop songs. If you enjoyed the band's debut, you will enjoy this effort just as much, despite their sticking more or less to the same formula.

The opening track, Demon Dance, is well-crafted with a driving lead guitar that owes a debt to early Weezer, and Pitts' introspective subject matter works well against the backdrop of catchy indie riffs. I Was Wrong and Squeezing Blood both lend themselves to the aforementioned speculation as to what actually happened last year, no thanks to the fact both songs rely on themes of learning and moving on from mistakes, but are similarly driven by choruses that match and complement the themes.

The thing that sets Surfer Blood apart from other rock bands is their ability to subtly turn your standard rock song into a work of art. It takes a certain skill and requires numerous listens but there's something to be gained each time. A unique collage of heavy, bent pop and distraught observations on shitty stuff and suffering is another triumph and listeners will find lots to discover on a sometimes painful but really rewarding journey.