This category is probably the most questionable one, but also very fun. Especially this year. The records that go far enough off the beaten path of surf that they don't seem eligible to be discussed in the other categories, but shouldn't go unmentioned. While they're not judged on how weird they are, hearing something new is always fun.

This can also be a hard one to judge since there's basically zero apples to apples comparison. So I try to remind myself of my guiding principle for each category: what do I think I'll listen to and enjoy the most?

Sheverb noticeably have one of the surf community's favorite words portmanteau'd into their name, they've played surf shows like Austin's Surf By Surf East, and surf fans love 'em -- at a previous SG101 convention I remember hearing several people rave about catching them a few days before. But they've always been more of a spaghetti western band, which again has never stopped twang-loving surf fans, but I think it's best to set expectations: there's not much surf here. On She Rides Again, Sheverb have leaned into psychedelic effects, hypnotic rhythms, and desert-rock riffs.

Another Bandcamp Friday where 100% of your purchase benefits the band. Admittedly this one snuck up on me, so forgive me if the reviews are a little hasty, but there's a good chunk of them! Here's some releases that I think warrant your attention. In no particular order.