Surf City: New Zealand Psych Rock Band Makes NYC Debut at Mercury Lounge on April 9th

DOWNLOAD: Surf City - "Kudos"
DOWNLOAD: Surf City - "Crazy Ruler of the World"

Surf City first came in to existence when bored friends Davin Stoddard and Josh Kennedy met at a party in Mt Roskill in 2004. Tired of the heavy avant-garde music that was prolific at the time Stoddard and Kennedy teamed up with Josh's brother Jamie and Logan Collins to form the band. Originally called The Fibs and then Kill Surf City their fascination with fast guitar pop and the early 80s sound of Dunedin soon saw them develop their own unique and catchy sound. Eventually settling on the Jesus and Mary Chain inspired band name, they arrived with their Steve Keene (hunted down for his previous work for Pavement and Silver Jews) adorned self-titled debut EP. Keene’s art is featured on the long player as well!

Hotly tipped as a band to watch, the group played some manic shows both at home and showcase gigs abroad. Stereogum praised their “impressively assured sound” and “perfect 2-minute pop storm.” All Music was taken with the “sheer energy and ragged happy sound” and gushed “the whole is just a delight.” Pitchfork noted that “their punky psychedelic pop is impressive” and admitted “Surf City’s pleasure for pleasure’s sake approach already has me pining for more.”



Surf City are playing two NYC shows on their March/April tour of the States. The first show is a Fire Records showcase at Mercury Lounge on April 9th with Bardo Pond. Tickets are $10 and this is a late show with Surf City taking the stage at 10:30PM.

The second show is at Glasslands Gallery on April 12th. Tickets for this show are $8 in advance and $10 (DOS) and Surf City is playing with Darlings, Lingering Doubts and Little Racer.

Links:
Surf City

Phantom Family Halo Release 'Monoliths & These Flowers Never Die'; Play Bowery Ballroom on Dec. 1st.

DOWNLOAD: Phantom Family Halo - "Blackouts and Runaways" (MP3)

What caught my attention with Phantom Family Halo's last release was Julian Cope's review - "I’m also right blown away by the catchy and compelling all-purpose psychedelia of THE LEGEND OF BLACK SIX by power trio The Phantom Family Halo. I say ‘all purpose’ because this stuff is useful and should be available by the vat on prescription, because it’s good for the mental health. I say power trio, but this lot are greedy motherfuckers with a hefty set of auxiliary members. The sound is totally reminiscent of that 1970 period when no fucker could control the number of overdubs, and these guys pass through every stage from The Youngbloods and Kalackakra to a kind of Amon Duul PARADIESWARTS DUUL-informed take on David Voorhaus’ White Noise project via early (very early) Chrome on their way to the proto metal of ‘Electric God In Your Galaxy’."

The band's new 2LP release, Monoliths & These Flowers Never Die, is simply a brilliant, brain-melting slab of acid rock which should strike an immediate chord with fans of Hawkwind and Spacemen 3. The band is playing Bowery Ballroom on December 1st with Russian Circles and Young Widows.

Tickets are $13 in advance and $15 DOS.



Links:
Phantom Family Halo