Hang ten, my undead dudes! Surf Zombies head to CSPS for vinyl release show

After a studio hiatus, Surf Zombies are at it again with their new release It’s a … Thing. The album is the forth that the group has released together though their individual music histories are extensive. Brook Hoover, Ian Williams, Trevor Treiber and Tyler Russell continue to find the ocean vibe in landlocked Iowa. The album promises to quench the surf longing for the ocean-deprived and might even convert a few landlubbers among us.

It’s a … Thing delivers a mix of easy listening tracks such as “Mako Shark” with bright guitar medleys and gentle drums and “Samurai Takedown” with more up-tempo drums and triumphant guitars. Tracks like “Martian Beach” take a more menacing approach with more bass heavy, sparser compositions. “Creeper” a more popular track off the new cut also delivers on the “zombies” side of Surf Zombies, seemingly straight from a Scooby-Doo chase scene or, more recently, suggesting the eerie audiotopia of the noir LA in Pynchon’s Inherent Vice. Underneath the commonality of surf scores, the album is surprisingly versatile. “Green Sticky” shows a likeness to reggae compositions — strumming on the offbeat, and having lilting accompaniment.

Most of these tracks were performed long before they were compiled for this cut, and it seems that they’ve made the track list just the way they intended. Much in the vain of their older music, the Zombies continue to conjure images of wave shredding mixed in with something more foreboding and sinister. While surf rock is not probably in your everyday discography, the Zombies’ guitars are elastic and buoyant; the drums are heart-pounding, and the compositions combine to create an album that is filled with energy and is enjoyable for listeners from many different backgrounds.

Make sure to check out there vinyl release party at the Cedar Rapids’ CSPS Hall this Friday. Grab a tropical drink, kick back and prepare to be transported seaside.