Axis: Sova
Early Surf
God? / Drag City
Street: 02.17
Axis: Sova = Purling Hiss / Crash Normal
 
There’s fuzz—not fizz and slop, not pop—oozing from Early Surf. The basic idea is that this music is heavy and messy. Even when surfing looks graceful, the wave is menacing, and even if early surf rock sounds calculated and clean, it was always hiding madness. So with Early Surf, you’re getting the true nature of guitars and waves without any sugar coating. Not to mention that this is coming from Ty Segall’s label, God?, and you know he won’t touch it if it isn’t raw. I have no problem listening to Early Surf all the way through, and I can’t say it flows impeccably, but I don’t think it’s supposed to either. If you don’t have time for the whole thing, then you should slow down, but if you must browse, be sure to check out the title track and the equally Hendrix-influenced “Blinding White.” –Justin Gallegos