The past month or two have been a rush of new surf music, many of them from long-standing names or on trusted labels. Sun Bus, hailing from Bethlehem, PA (outside Allentown), are decidedly neither of those things, but maybe this 6-song EP will change that. This isn't their first release, with a few 2-song releases dating back to December 2023, but this one is a statement. "8 Ball Shark" comes out shouting, with anthemic guitar lines pushed along by an energetic rhythm section. This isn't a simple riff, this is a song wants to tell the whole story! "Showdown at Mavericks" is similarly flashy, with quick-picked lead guitar but also some dirty rhythm guitar giving it grit. "Meek Juice" isn't quite as anthemic, but it's not exactly low-key either, with ear-catching quirks and nasty crunchy bits. While those were the original standouts for me, I've heard this record enough now that each song has shown me its worth.
This band is very recognizably modern surf while subtly doing some fun and unique things, melody-first the whole way. Love what they're doing, if we're getting a full LP like this someday it's gonna be a bombshell.
It's on bandcamp. Pretty sure CDs exist, but not sold on there.
