Kalistani Major History

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Surf Wax tops the Chart with a More Melodic version of Grit
Album verges closer to Alternative, and blurs boundaries between two genres.
Port Swedes, Vrassa
May 18, 4915


Surf Wax Picks up Grit Supergroup Mantle from Sonic Shrine of the Hound

The sound of Grit is maturing, as the wave enters its fourth year. Scene legends, Surf Wax have stayed independent for two record releases already, but for their third record, they signed with the Vrassan music powerhouse VDR, who just released their third album "Jerome". The record, which debuted at Number 1 on the Kalistani Charts has plenty of hard rock on it and represents yet another departure for the folk-tinged Grunge which made the Grit scene popular across the Republic. "'Jerome' is probably the closest a Grit band will get to straight Alternative," said music critic Bobbi Fernandes, who writes for the Grit scene trade "Swedeport". "As much as these bands hate to be labeled by the mainstream music press as 'grit' bands, and are eager to show that they are more than just this formulaic sound, there will likely be one or two more turns back to the foundational elements of the Port Swedes sound before all this is over. There are a number of very good bands right now who are still playing in clubs, and are still fighting the exposure of their neighbors in Port Swedes, But as long as there is an attitude for the music, there will always be producers wanting to sell records."

Most of the Grit Bands who have struck it huge are now sitting in comfortable careers, and in all major cities at any time, there are grit shows and concerts. The largest one so far, by Sonic Planter was at the GMHoF in Luxon, last year and drew more than 25,000 fans to hear the Port Swedes band play. But just as many bands who have gotten famous in the Republic have gone on to some great careers, other bands have fallen apart. One of the pioneer bands of the scene, The Wolf Hound, is no more, due to its inability and unwillingness to record more records.

"The Wolf Hound, who was so influential in the formation of the Grit Scene, just couldn't seem to get back into the studio to make new records," said Fernandes, "and when VDR released them last year, they just hung it up. I think David Drescher is doing radio now, and Jeff Alvarez and Peter Greene from Wolf Hound have actually joined Ted Sorenson and Matt Gill in Surf Wax, replacing their original guitarist and bassist, who both left last year to go back to college. This makes Surf Wax essentially a Grit Supergroup, and they are now poised perhaps to be one of the biggest Grit Bands, and yet, they decide at just this moment to step backward to Alternative, with Grit Highlights."

There is still some good Gritty music on Surf Wax's "Jerome". "Daughter" is a gritty tune about a child with a learning disability and abusive parents. "Evolutionist" is almost folky in its aesthetic. And the lead track "Bellweather" on the record might be one of Grit's prettiest tunes ever. There are also some excellent straight Grunge songs on the record, like the surf grunge track "Whispering Hands" and "At least That's Something." But for the most part, Surf Wax's decision to record a more or less alternative record for VDR shows that even the bands in Port Swedes are getting tired of the attention. When they miss, some of the choices they and the producer made on this record will leave fans scratching their head, but when they hit, like in the Grunge song about sorrow and unrequited love called "Broken Glass", they remind people exactly what they loved about this music scene to begin with.

While the gold rush may be slowing in Port Swedes, you can still listen to "Jerome" here

[Video: https://youtu.be/31vjCNgsGy0?t=15]