Holy misdirection Batman! Not that I think all instrumental groups should religiously adhere to the agreed upon surf style guide, the cover of this album looks like it could be going for an El Perro Del Mar vibe (and a lot of guitarist Jeffrey Bützer's other work makes sense in that realm). Even the name of the band and album, though fun, does nothing to cause a blip on my surf radar. Thanks to their Southern Surf Stomp show in Decatur, GA tonight (doubling as a CD release show), I looked past the twee cover art and found some solid surf rock within.
The Compartmentalizationists have a good, meaty sound that is solidly in the surf vein, though I swear I hear shades of Sonic Youth. It's not too fast, but not listless; patient is the word, allowing the songs to find a great sonic space. I love the march of the opening track "Trepanning", the deep twang and build-up and release of "Born Without a Neck", and the teetering between delicateness and power on "Blurry Eyes".
They've got it up at bandcamp, and CDs are cheap at just $6. And of course, you can get it in person if you're able to check out the aforementioned Southern Surf Stomp show.
