SURF HARP plays – they say – fuzzy artcore. It is something weird eclectic funny pop music. It has started as a personal surfgaze project of Phil in Baltimore (Maryland, US), but

Chris: Aaron, Dennis, and I were recruited to perform the Galápagos EP songs live, and eventually Jeff was too, and we were just playing what was already there. Then, with playing new songs as a group, the material evolved differently, especially because we were playing live pretty often and tweaking the songs as we went along.

Their music is inspired by

Jeff: In terms of my bass playing and songwriting, I am inspired by a wide range of artists. Everything from Scott Walker to Pavement to Mingus to Aphex Twin. It is difficult to explain the direct effect that this inspiration has on my songwriting. I never say “I really like Neu!, how can I write a song like „Hallogallo”. But I guess the verses of  „Pomegranate” are a direct result of my love for Krautrock.

Phil: The biggest influences for me on the songwriting and tones of the album were probably Devo and Ween. Actually, there was one part during the mixing where I asked Mat to pitch shift the rototoms on “Pain Kills” to sound like the opening of Mayhem’s album Deathcrush.*

Moreover there are violin, cello and marimba on their first album which has been released on CD and cassette by Friends Records (US). When I was listening to it two bands came to my mind: Brattleboro (Vermont, US) art rockers Happy Jawbone Family and early Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

*From an interview on bmoreart. Listen to all from SURF HARP! I love them.