Review: IndoSurf- A Hawaiian Love Story

Review: IndoSurf- A Hawaiian Love Story


IndoSurf – A Hawaiian Love Story

Tracklist:
1. Intro to a Hawaiian Love Story
2. Five Years
3. The Party
4. A Mexican Wedding
5. Waikiki
6. Dole Ave.
7. This Is It
8. I’m In Hell
9. Leaving L.A.
10. Ghost Dub
11. Ghost
12. Moonlight
13. Mistress Malawa (It’s Time)
14. The Waiting

The Pier Album Rating:

Release Date: September 7, 2012
Record Label: Independent
Official Website: IndoSurf Website

Artist Background:
IndoSurf is a fresh new band on the scene out of Visalia, California. The four-member alternative/rock/reggae band draws their inspiration from names like the Foo Fighters, Coheed & Cambria, Incubus and Pepper among many others. They have previously released The Bananas EP in March of 2009, which is now available to download off of amazon and other outlets. The EP titled Hawaii was actually expanded on to create A Hawaiian Love Story, which since turned into their first full-length album.

Album Review:
IndoSurf’s first full-length album, A Hawaiian Love Story, embodied a melding of reggae, mainstream rock with a hint of dub to round out the sound. The intro track was an accurate depiction of what followed; certain areas were slower and more typical of the reggae genre, while others brought the heavy electric guitar and the pounding percussions, representative of the rock, alternative and heavier music scenes.

The vocals were strong throughout the album, yet the lyrical content of the tracks would have been helped by an increase in variety. While still somewhat compelling to listen to, the repetition of heartbreak and betrayal grew stale by the end. That being said, the instrumentals were rather different from track to track, which often times takes your attention away from the lyrics.

The second half of the album had a similar structure as the first, alternating between the heavy riffs of guitarist David Bivona and the typical relaxing elements of the reggae genre that appear throughout A Hawaiian Love Story. They also include a short dub attempt with Ghost Dub, which may not have been the strongest track on the release, but also not exactly the worst either.

IndoSurf’s debut studio album was a quality piece. At times the piece suffered from a general lack of diversity in both lyrical content and song structure. However, repetition aside, I definitely recommend giving this album a good listen, you will not be sorry.


Written & Reviewed By: Jason Gallagher

[Editors Note: All reviews are reflective of the album in it’s entirety, from start to finish. These reviews are the honest opinion of each writer/reviewer, expressing their feedback as a genuine fan of the music. Each star rating reflects their review of the album, not the band. Music is subjective. Regardless of the review or star rating, we encourage you to listen to the music yourself & form your own opinion. Spread the awareness of all music in its art & contribution]