With a style so unique and hard to pigeon-hole it requires its own name, Missouri-based band, Surtsey, introduces us to its world of “y’allternative” and “Americ-kinda” music.
And this past Monday, Surtsey dropped its latest EP, Nothing Doing.
This 5-song collection launches into an array of poignant aspects of the human condition, from the pace of life to what makes each of us tick, all while giving space for subtler, tender details. Each track elicits deep thought with its lyrical content and lesser-heard melding of genres.
Originally written and recorded back in October 2023, Nothing Doing features the prowess of David Beeman and Ben Majchrzak from Native Sound.
Perhaps the most notable song off the release is “Knot to Force”, a bold track that addresses the forceful way we tend to approach life. In a world where we are all keen to run ourselves ragged, Surtsey says it’s no wonder “Nobody got it figured out.” The poignant line, “If you force the key / You’re gonna break the lock,” sums up this sentiment quite nicely. Instead, the track wonders if we’d be better off to take a slower pace from time to time.
Echoing a similar message, “T-shirt (Avalanche)” explores what it would be like to just go with the flow a little more. Opening with a foot-stomping beat and a classic country twang, the pulsing beat progresses in time with accompanying pedal steel. An abrupt tonal shift midway through, the melody feels like snow gliding off a mountainside, wiping away the hurried pace of the song and the world along with it. It ends with a cryptic flourish, “We won’t be the same…”
Both “Useful” and “Barley & Cherries” slow things down even more, guided by tender and contemplative melodies. These two wistful tracks harbor introspective lyrics about pain being “useful” and what separates the “foolish” from the “smart”, asking us to take a look into those hidden parts of our own selves.
Recorded in St. Louis, all the songs were written as a result from attending School of Song, specifically songwriting courses led by Buck Meek. Nothing Doing weaves traditional country sounds intertwined with indie pop experimentation, with a thoughtful lyrical cadence floating over top to make a unique sound that’s positively Surtsey.
Featured photo by Chris Bauer
