Ahead of its official release tomorrow, we’re stoked to be bringing you the exclusive premiere of Concrete Surfers’ latest EP, My Life On Repeat. Made up of brothers Jovi (vocals, guitar) and Jamie Brook (drums) and high school mates Sean Foster (lead guitar) and Trent Courtenay (Bass), the Brisbane scuzz band have shared stages with the likes of Royal Blood (UK), The Gooch Palms, Harts, Ocean Alley, Pist Idiots, Ruby Fields, and Drunk Mums. They recently launched title track “My Life on Repeat” at a sold out gig in their River City hometown.
Holed up at Swanpond studios in Boonah, the cement punks made the most of the isolated Queensland location, throwing themselves wholeheartedly into the music. It shows too, with six cracking tracks that showcase the frenetic fun the Concrete Surfers are known for. And we’re not the only ones who were impressed – if you listen very carefully to a couple of the tracks, you might hear a few local crickets singing along!
While you have a listen through, here’s a quick track by track breakdown, thanks to the boys themselves.
“Tired and Tipsy” heads up the list, drawing inspiration from songs like Nirvana’s “Drain You” and “Monkeys Gone to Heaven” by the Pixies. Consider “Tired and Tipsy” a rallying cry to never let anything hold you back.
Taking around three months to pin down, title track “My Life on Repeat” rails against uncertainty and lack of direction. If you have ever found yourself stuck in a (probably quite comfortable) rut, this is the song for you.
Covering the dangers of comparing ourselves to our online peers, and the lack of privacy in today’s tech-driven culture, “VCR” has become a favourite for the band to play live, and feeds perfectly into the next track, “Miscommunication”.
A timely tune honing in on those frustrating misinterpretations that often happen when communicating online or through text message, “Miscommunication” will resonate with just about anyone who’s ever struggled with online tone (or the lack thereof).
Penultimate track “Goonjuice” does exactly what it says on the tin. A high energy song about, well, getting fucked up, it’s one of the older tracks on the EP and you can expect fans to be yelling this one back at the boys during their April and May tour dates.
Rounding off the EP is “No Brainer”, and according to vocalist Jovi, including it wasn’t the easiest decision the band made. Deeply personal, it veers from low and lonely, to, ultimately, high and hopeful. Reassuring in its message and with a deceptively cheery, almost Smiths-like riff, it’s a strong finale to an EP that’s messy in all the right ways.
If we’ve whet your appetite with this premiere, be sure to catch Concrete Surfers while they’re out on tour. Dates are as follows:
Sat 6th April: Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
Fri 12th April: Yah Yah’s, Melbourne
Sun 21st April: The Cambridge, Newcastle
Fri 3rd May: Byron Bay Brewery, Byron Bay
Sat 11th May: Twang Fest!, Manly
Sun 12th May: North Gong Hotel, Wollongong
In the meantime, you can keep track of the band on any of the following social media platforms:
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Header image: Concrete Surfers/Harley Jones
