A hundred years from now, connoisseurs won’t make a distinction in the eras of surf music, it will all be viewed as one big wave. From the early 60s through the troubled teenage years of the 2000s, surf music’s presence has waned and waxed, but clearly isn’t going away. Any generation can authentically channel the teenage mindset– a bit of wonder, a touch of innocence and a bunch of testosterone– through a tank reverb and a Fender amp, and let it rip.
The Volcanics present themselves as men who haven’t forgotten the pimple years. The blue sweaters, the cartoon motifs and the insane volume that would have Mom yelling into the basement to turn that noise down. Out of their commitment, they find new music and especially melodies that seat their songs squarely between the classics of the genre. It’s like these songs were there all along, waiting to get written.
The Volcanics present their new album, Forgotten Cove, with all instrumentals. They are great singers, but to have truly unhyphenated surf music, it can’t have vocals. (And, it’s a personal thing, but while I find that reverbed instrumentals are still moving and relevant, as soon as I hear lyrics that ape the innocence of the sixties hot rod/girls scene, it sounds really dated.)
Forgotten Cove is focused on the band, and most songs sound like they are easily pulled off live. Just a few production touches here and there– sound effects, acoustic guitars that you probably won’t hear on stage. There’s a certain sexiness, a danceability, that sets The Volcanics apart. The songs retain simplicity, but also are original. Nods to standards are inevitable, but The Volcanics do not grovel before legends, they seem quite confident in their skills.
Forgotten Cove is an album full of variety, a great set from a band that continues to grow and clearly is here for the long haul.
My picks: “Sunset Rider”, “El Dorado”, “Panic Run”, “The Traveller”
Available from Double Crown Records and Hi-Tide Records
