Beach Bums spin divergent spiderwebs of music on "Random" and "Tacos" from their "Years" LP

AP Track Review

Los Angeles with it's multicolored and cultured influences can spin out divergent spiderwebs of art, of fashion and it's music, damn. Beach Bums started out a punk band but kept their minds and heart open to all those diverse tones and, let's face it, if you want to chill and smoke there are other sounds that make better sonic filters. In states of openness and love with fans and other influencers it is good to shift ones view and sound. Fans will follow as long as you stay true during the metamorphosis. You listen to the psych rock bipolar-ness of their track Banger (from their massive 2017 "Everything" album) which sounds like Ty Segall having an existential crisis and fast forward to Random from their last years full length "Years" and the pretzel twist difference is like that of Radiohead sprinting from Ok, Computer to Kid A. "Years" is a different framework but Beach Bums are still flinging paint in interesting ways. And while this was supposed to be just a track review of Random because, well, I have been saying random things all day and driving friends crazy, it will have to be a review of Random and Tacos both because one flows into the next and the songs go so well together. They could be one extended Day In The Life if you ask me (on high).

Random with it's dirty Fender Rhodes dreamy lounge vibe tugs at you instantly but the big funky drum fills (courtesy of Horsley) and Elijah G. Alamo's big bass (both) like a full sleepy wave of jazz funk amps it up. I really like the mix on the drum kit, the kick being a bit "too" loud make is sound all the better. As Jonathan's (aka Jawntang) croon takes over and layers of guitar notes fall like glitter ball cascades of light it is all so incredibly cool. While I could float away to Random (track 5) if it lasted like, um... forever, it does not but slips right into Tacos (track 6).

The reverberating beat, the electronic kick so well rounded. Joe Contreras knows how to massage cool sounds out of his keyboards / synths. The synth stabs and sustains veer just west of horror pop or anti-pop tones and sound so good with the hip hop flavor here. The vocal spread sounds delicious as Keanu Harvin raps around Jonathan's low croons. 

Damn, I am hungry.

Beach Bums - "Years" on Lolipop Records

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Robb Donker Curtius

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:

“We started out as a punk band, but all of our fans were into so many different things, so we just started saying ‘fuck it’ and writing whatever we were into.” 

Beach Bums' lead vocalist, guitarist and producer Jonathan aka Jawntang