New Surfer Blood - Demon Dance

Following a fairly offensive summer, it would have made complete sense if Surfer Blood were lost in shamed obscurity. Despite the overwhelmingly negative press, the band is back and seems to finding its form again.

Earlier today, Surfer Blood debuted its newest single "Demon Dance" over at NPR, and its an undeniable smash. Checkered history aside, the band continues to shill out catchy, captivating garage pop.

Check the track out below and catch the band on its super length tour this summer with special dates alongside Foals (dates listed here). Head over to Warner Music for pre-orders of the band's new LP Pythons, out June 11.

Our newest obsession: Unouomedude

Been a while, huh?

In Bears and Bullets first Our New Obsession of 2011, I've come across unouomedude (non-capitalized band name) via We All Want Someone to Shout For. The Jacksonville native comes off the free-flowing summer vibes listeners of Surfer Blood and The Drums should be keenly familiar with.

Listen below to his highly infectious single "Frequency," which will be released as a single April 19. Unouomedude's Marsh EP is available now for any requested price, including, you know, nothing. Check it out here.

Tuesday Bears: Surfer Blood premiere new song, cover Pavement

I didn't have enough time to post this yesterday, but Surfer Blood, who are blowing up in the best way possible, played a series of songs from their debut album Astro Coast for the Grand Rapids, MI based Halfway House Music.

The group also performed their new song "I'm Not Ready," a more refined, focus pop mesh that doesn't have anything to do with swimming, at least I think. Also, because Pavement is back (what other reason), the band covered "Box Elder." No video for the former though, only MP3. Sowwy.

Surfer Blood - Floating Vibes (Live on Halfway House Music)



Surfer Blood - Fast Jabroni (Live on Halfway House Music)



Surfer Blood - I'm Not Ready (Live on Halfway House Music)



Surfer Blood - Box Elder (Pavement Cover) - MP3

Thursday Bears: New Surfer Blood video - Floating Vibes

I'm not sure what the exact term is for something showing up twice in one day, after being almost nonexistent before hand - sort of like a coincidence, but, you know, not. I used to call it "plate of shrimp," for reasons only my high school friend Kenny can remember.

I tuned into Surfer Blood's "Floating Vibes" off their debut LP Astrocoast walking around today. It probably wasn't the dulling gray overcast and fall-like winds, but something about the song seemed fitting. Plate of shrimp, I guess.

Surfer Blood - Floating Vibes

Bears and Bullets Top 25 Songs of 2009 (Pt. III)

We'll continue our top 25 countdown with songs #15 through #11.

#15: Lust for Life - Girls

"Lust for Life," opened Girls debut Album with a long stretch of wishes and desires, asking for really the most simple things, but end up getting less than nothing. That "brand new start" lead singer Christopher Owens sings about comes at the back end of everything, after he realizes that those wishes, realistic or not, aren't going to happen. Despite the uplifting harmonies, percussion and tambourine, the song splits between sobering and gleeful, knowing that Owens never ends up getting the "boyfriend," "pizza," or "beach house." And yet the hand-clapped led second verse with the rest of the band filling in delightful 60's California harmonies makes you almost forget how much you can screw up before anything goes right.

Girls - Lust for Life - MP3

#14: Animal - Miike Snow

There's something oddly chilling about Miike Snow's "Animal." The production of each and every beat leading into and ending the four-and-a-half minute song is so precise that the rough idea of human's basic instincts and flaws and they're downfall seems almost counter-intuitive. What is heard, however, is one of the year's more catchy and accessible indie hits.

Miike Snow - Animal

#13: Summertime Clothes - Animal Collective

The first of several Animal Collective songs on this year's list, "Summertime Clothes" is a casually inviting spin into the Baltimore band's engulfing psychedelic pop. The jumpy, blippy, starry summer night single stood in the shadows of "My Girls," during Merriweather Post Pavilion's reign over 2009, but many argue that it surpasses it in excellence. While that may be here or there, "Summertime Clothes" deserves its due recognition.

Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes

#12: Zero - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

The charging anthem of It's Blitz!, "Zero" ushers in the Yeah Yeah Yeahs first and best attempt to bring electro-charged pop to the Brooklyn band's garage-driven sound. When Karen O's voice rises with the "climb, climb, climb," guitarist Nick Zinner's pulsating melody enriches, pushes, and explodes, climbing higher and higher until "Zero's" breaking point. And that "Zero," despite being who they are, sound bigger than ever.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero (Live on Letterman)

#11: Swim (To Reach the End) - Surfer Blood

"Swim"'s endless Weezer-esque comparisons are becoming a tad null. Weezer, at their mid-90's peak resembled something close to what Surfer Blood were able to churn out -- the driving hooks, insatiable fuzzy riffs, pounding drums and chanting chorus -- but that 90's band is long gone. "Swim" sounds more complete, refreshing and tauntingly infectious than anything on Raditude, while keeping a keen ear of sincerity in the mix. The song doesn't belong in the 90's, or anywhere else really - it's pop in an endless form, that sounds similar and different after each listen.

Surfer Blood - Swim (To Reach the End) - MP3

Check Back Later for Tracks #10-#1

Tuesday Bears: Surfer Blood's Astro Coast

In late August I wrote about West Palm Beach Florida's Surfer Blood and their fantastic single "Swim (To Reach the End)". The band, who's new album Astro Coast is scheduled for release in January via Kanine Records, also features the group's newest single "Floating Vibes."

The song, while maybe not as engaging and vibrant as "Swim," but it's smooth lo-fi sounds and fuzz while still keeping the whole water motif in tact. The tight mechanics and easily enjoyable sounds are more or less a getaway from the often tiring low-key sounds that have become much less a movement but a sound of the time.

So far with "Swim" and "Vibes," you can be fairly certain that the future work of Surfer Blood and more sounds from Astro Coast will be featured here again soon.

Surfer Blood - Floating Vibes - MP3
Surfer Blood - Swim (To Reach the End) - MP3

Friday Bears: Surfer Blood

Apparently, and I only say this knowing the inherit risk of me saying the words may in fact kill the trend, kitschy surfer rock is not only popular again, but it seems to be sticking. The resurgence of the often forgotten but always likable summer soundtrack has been a more than abundant filler for the bulk of 2009. Artists like Delorean, Washed Out, Sunnybrook, nearly every artist on Lefse Records, and countless others have cultivated the washed out sounds of the 60's with a tinge of modernity to offset the unavoidable boredom of beach culture.

I only bring up the topic because I may have just heard one of the best modern surf-rock songs in, well, as long as the genre has been relevant. Far too often do the sounds of fringe-echoed vocals and hazy feedback make many of the aforementioned artists less than enjoyable. Surfer Blood (aptly named), however, seem to have perfected the output with their new single "Swim (To Reach the End)." The song is beyond catchy and joyful, with the more vigorous approach that makes other artists seem pedestrian by comparison. A must listen for any regular reader, or Hell, anyone else.

Surfer Blood - Swim (To Reach the End) - MP3

MP3 Courtesy of Pitchfork