Loose Ends
The long-awaited debut EP “Loose Ends” by Swedish indie rock trio Surfin’ Charlie is finally here. The energetic balance of pop rock riffs and modern catchy singalongs was mastered by Henryk Lipp (Håkan Hellström, Millencolin, Thåström). Recorded and produced in Gothenburg, the EP takes us on a journey through guitar-based growing pains.
Evoking the bittersweet experience of growing up in a gray, uneventful town in western Sweden, “Loose Ends” explores a diversity of styles. At times there’s a bouncy pop vibe that can remind you of Mando Diao, like in the song “Hang ’Em High”. Other songs, like “Contraband”, present a classic skate punk touch topped with modern production.
The artistic unity in “Loose Ends” is achieved through the lyrics: “There’s a common theme in all songs.”, frontman Julius Mann explains. “A constant feeling of being trapped.” But there’s also catharsis to it: “In a way, it’s a very depressing set of songs, but very liberating at the same time”, Mann continues.
The six tracks that constitute “Loose Ends” were written at an early stage of the band, but the lyrics mock the tropes of nostalgia without any glossy drama. Take, for example, the depiction of teenage love in “Urban Girls”: “She wants to puke under the bridge while I hold her hand.”
Surfin Charlie was formed during high school years in Skövde, back in 2013. The band’s first single “Sugar” was released in 2017, getting them a feature on Swedish radio and over 300 000 streams in Europe. The band got signed to Gothenburg-based Rexius Records later that year.
The first two tracks of their debut EP, ‘Hang ‘Em High’ & ‘Beggars & Buskers’, were released earlier this year, the latter in honor of Kurt Cobain’s 25th anniversary. “Loose Ends” will be released through the label on May 31st.
