Los Straitjackets were, and perhaps still are, the biggest band in modern surf music, regularly finding their way onto large festival lineups that actual non-weird people went to and making several appearances on Conan O'Brien's show. And then... nothing changed. They continued playing, there were some health issues, but they never really quit. They released one album backing up Deke Dickerson giving lyrics to instrumental songs (and then for Record Store Day released instrumental versions of the vocal versions of these instrumental songs). they put out a few EPs and singles here and there. They started working with Nick Lowe and were a big part of the buzz around his album Indoor Safari. But it does kinda feel like they've mostly left the conversation of surf music today.
And then we're back! Somos is their first original instrumental LP since 2013's Jet Set, an album I adored. Every song was a different adventure, a whole lotta studio madness and subtle additional instrumentation, and as always, great songwriting. If you thought they were going to take that and multiply it for a big comeback surf blockbuster, you guessed wrong! Somos is a surprisingly relaxed affair, probably the most low-tempo one they've cut, very sparing with reverb, and rarely flashing much muscle or flirting with danger. Many surf records will let your imagination run wild with adventures and glimpses into different lives than yours. These songs can do that, sure, but mostly I feel like I'm transported into a recording studio with four musicians playing songs with one another. And they're all wearing masks even though I'm the only audience member, at least in my mind's eye.
Maybe the idea of a comeback record is so daunting (especially when it's arguably not one) that the best approach is to treat it as casually as possible. But here's the thing: casual as it may be, these songs are not throwaways. With such a minimal approach to sound, a lot rests on the melodies, and they're good for it. Just about every song feels great, often with a big sense of nostalgia. There are a few songs that crank it up a little bit, like "Spinout", "Copy Cat", and "High Wire Act", and they feel like tracks you can yank right off of their big 90's trio of records. But one of my favorites off those is "Close to Champaign" from Velvet Touch Of and that fold-out-chair-and-a-beer vibe is all over this album.
When I first excitedly hit the play button on my turntable I have to admit I needed a bit of an adjustment, but I adjusted easily. These fifteen tracks are a great, feel-good time, and LSJ have proven that they've still got it, rather poignantly by showing you all that they don't need.
Streaming in all the places, and also on CD and vinyl. There's also a hypnowheel picture-disc edition, which I didn't know about until just now!
