Art Imperial - "When I'm With You (I Feel Dumb)"
Art Imperial - "The Inbetweener"
The title Surf Suburban evokes the sound you'd expect: surf rock straight from the suburbs. It's the kind of music that kids who weren't anywhere near a beach back in the '50s would make in their garages, eliminating the miles that separated them from the nearest coastal town. In much the same way, Art Imperial crafted this 6-song EP in the basement of his mother's house, tucked away in the suburbs. What's more, Imperial not only crafted these songs in the suburbs, he worked on them during a long winter in Toronto, which, let's face it, could not be farther from the beach or summertime.
If The Walkmen's speed and garage rock charm met My Morning Jacket's reverb-dressed Southern sprawl, it'd sound something like Surf Suburban. What Imperial does best is manage conviction with finesse, crooning with a certain cut of attitude. Songs like "The Inbetweener" and "Bugs Out My Mind" could have easily just been blasts of power chords and aimless, reverb-soaked lead guitar riffs, but, instead, they have defined form and display a careful consideration for arrangement and tone. With these six songs, Imperial produces an enjoyable mix of surf pop and rock that, much like the beach, can be both refreshing and cathartic. It's a sound that can wash away the gray and pick you up off the floor. Start your summer off here.
Stream/download the whole EP below via Bandcamp or Mediafire (direct from the man himself).
DOWNLOAD: Art Imperial - Surf Suburban
And here is a music video for EP highlight "When I'm With You (I Feel Dumb).
Art Imperial was a member of Strider Hero, a band that's been featured here on Mixtape Muse before. Check out that post here.
Art Imperial
Bandcamp
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