Surferosa hail from Norway, describe themselves as synth punk and sound nothing like the Pixies. Which begs the question, why name yourselves after a Pixies album then? And whilst we are on the subject (which we’re not but this is but a minor detail) when did everyone decide the Pixies were the saviours of alternative music and should be heralded as living Gods? Why wasn’t I invited to this meeting? To paraphrase Chuck D ‘the Pixies didn’t mean shit to me’. But I digress, Surferosa are a pop band. Synth Punk brings to mind Suicide and long forgotten, but not missed in the slightest, ARE Weapons. Surferosa are nothing like these bands, they are instead a big, shiny, bouncy ball of pop fun. Bless ‘em.
Each song blasts along at 100 miles an hour, full of 80’s synths, tinny guitars and screechy vocals. Like a diet of Sunny Delight and Spangles it’s all great fun at first, the sugar rush kicks in and you find yourself bouncing off the wall. After the initial rush it all get’s a bit sickly and before you know it you’ve turned orange and all your teeth have fallen out. Any number of the songs taken on their own merits would make a great single, but stick them all together and the initial enthusiasm is slowly replaced by an overwhelming urge to lie in a darkened room with only the complete works of Arab Strap for company.
Take ‘Chinese Moon’ for example, it has hit written all over it. Like Siouxsie and the Banshees ‘Hong Kong Garden’ on helium it’s all two fingered synth lines, 80’s arcade game sound effects and vocals that sound unnervingly like Ari Up from the Slits. It’s marvellous. As is ‘Unit’ which begins like Blondie’s ‘Heart of Glass’ before turning into a mid paced slice of prime pop over flowing with gorgeous piano lines and the most restrained vocal on the whole album.
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Elsewhere, things aren’t so restrained. ‘Bim Bam Boom’ bounds into your life like the bastard offspring of Van Halen’s 'Jump' before staccato vocals and stuttering bass lines take it to the edge of novelty. Then there’s the chorus, ‘Bim Bam Boom / Bim Bam Boom’ Marianne repeats until you question the validity of your life and contemplate ending it all. Follow this up with ‘Saturday Night’ which comes on like a bubble perm in a puff ball skirt after one too many Malibu and pineapples and you’re on to a winning formula. Or not as the case may be.
It does bear repeating that in small doses this is all great fun. ‘Lucky Lipstick’ sums it up by aiming for Blondie, getting really close but ending up settling for Transvision Vamp crossed with Republica. Without doubt Surferosa have potential and reports from their live shows are almost without exception tripping over themselves to tell you how wonderful they are. On record however it would seem they haven’t done themselves justice. You’d be a fool to write them off completely though.
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