Surf-pop was sub-genre that occupied the collective mind of hipsters at the beginning of 2010s. I am writing in past tense, as the genre itself lost its best representatives somewhere in the water. There are not a lot of them floating around, mostly because most of them sounded reductive and reproductive. Due to the fact that Best Coast failed to deliver interesting music after their debut, you have a chance to hear equally exciting and better band that finds their expression in surf-pop canon. Their name is Tacocat and they released their third studio album Lost Time at the beginning of 2016.
Although Tacocat define themselves as post-punk band, I see them as rock ‘n’ roll band whose optimism often takes them to power pop paths. Being on that path suits them well. Emily Nox is the vocalist and the leader of this Seattle based band comprising of four members. A modern punk band stands out for their intelligent lyrics and catchy melodies. Lost Time is produced by Erik Blood who is famous for his wide and expansive sound. The collaboration with the new producer brought a full experience to their surfy snarl.
Tacocat’s greatness lies in simplicity of the delivery. Whether they are talking about X Files, Seattle, PMS, anonymous internet haters, high class gold-diggers or capitalistic institution of the weekend, everything sounds like a simple and relatable poetry. Work hard, play hard it’s damn obsolete.
As I was mostly intrigued by their lyrical abilities, I am going to present you with few of my favorite parts.
From Dana Katherine Scully:
The truth is out there But so are lies
From You Can’t Fire Me, I Quit (this one is actually about breakup and not quitting the job)
Your moves are heavy Don't want to be around We walk a minefield Of your next breakdown It's always the same thing You're a mess but I'm amazing What's the story Make it a good one Already lost it There's no confusion So beyond even being hurt Always assumed That I would do it first
A thrilling teenage album ends on a brighter note
Take your time because
It’s your time to take
And the values that you want
Are the ones that you create
If you are still into surf-pop, and you didn’t find anything good after Best Coast, then this is going to be your favorite winter-escapism record.
