Goth bar surf cursed. It is a rather intriguing and mysterious topic that combines elements of Goth subculture, beach culture, and the idea of being cursed. This unique concept may seem unusual at first, but it presents an interesting blend of aesthetics and themes. The Goth subculture is known for its dark fashion, music, and overall gloomy style. Goths often embrace a morbid and macabre aesthetic, expressing themselves through black clothing, heavy makeup, and a preference for dark and mysterious themes. They find beauty in melancholy and often have an affinity for the supernatural.
Speaking of movement, though, one of the things that might be most striking about this iteration of the band is that there are some truly nice grooves on this album that are thicker and heavier than they’ve executed in the past. The best example of that on this album would be the thump and bump from Beard and drummer, Steve Clifford, that serves as the backbone of “Premonition of the Hex”.
The best example of that on this album would be the thump and bump from Beard and drummer, Steve Clifford, that serves as the backbone of Premonition of the Hex. It kicks off with Lustration, a song that takes its time setting the scene with a gently rendered and tender melody, before unleashing a barrage of signature guitar lashes and some particularly energetic drumming from Clifford, whose performances across the album are both inventive and bracing.
They find beauty in melancholy and often have an affinity for the supernatural. On the other hand, surf culture is closely associated with sun, sand, and a carefree lifestyle. Surfers are typically portrayed as laid-back and relaxed individuals who enjoy riding the waves and spending time by the beach.
Album Review: Circa Survive – ‘The Amulet’
Circa Survive, a gently psychedelic and otherworldly post-hardcore mainstay, started in 2004 as a project between members Anthony Green, Colin Frangicetto, Nick Beard, Brendan Ekstrom, and Stephen Clifford. Today, CS consists of those same five members, who have lived through a decade of personal tragedy, addiction, the growth of families, and more record labels than can be counted on one hand. With many one-off reunions and sudden attempts at reinvention after long silences, how many bands have stuck together and continued to make music – let alone music that is worthy of sustained attention from their once hormone-addled fans who have since graduated into adult life? The Amulet is Circa Survive’s 6 th full-length album, which already puts them in rarified air, but what really makes it an album worth talking about is simply that it’s one of the band’s best.
2015’s Descensus was released following publicized revelations about lead singer Anthony Green’s battles with heroin. While it echoed earlier struggles with substances that were the thematic focus of Juturna , the band’s first album, Descensus showed that the group was still hungry, still capable, and still committed to making music together. It was an unexpected delight for some fans whose interest had dwindled following the uneven Blue Sky Noise , and the troublingly uninspired Violent Waves. This return – with plenty of claws and teeth – might have been enough. It was not the band’s best, but was certainly a good album that touched on some fresh ground.
With The Amulet we are not just given a re-introduction to the band. It is more than a statement of resilience and a reminder of what once was. Full of creativity, lacking predictability, it is a damn good album that rings with a sense of urgency most bands fail to sustain through two or three albums, let alone a half dozen.
It kicks off with “Lustration,” a song that takes its time setting the scene with a gently rendered and tender melody, before unleashing a barrage of signature guitar lashes and some particularly energetic drumming from Clifford, whose performances across the album are both inventive and bracing. As the first single, the song acts as a map of intent for the album as a whole; there are familiar tricks here, all the moves that one might expect from CS, but they are punctuated, and at places even pleasantly dismantled, by surprising doses of originality. Green’s recent penchant for growls are replaced by touches of falsetto, the chorus takes a step back rather than clamoring for attention, and the climax is followed by an extended and meditative outro. There is urgency, but there is also patience. The song breathes, feels vast, and hides nothing. And it is in the collection of songs that follows that these qualities are all mirrored and even further developed.
“Never Tell A Soul,” as well as the wonderfully energetic “Stay,” rank among the band’s most raucous and simultaneously mind-bending songs. These harken back to their sophomore record, On Letting Go, while incorporating elements that feel fresh and defy categorization. This is not surprising, given that the band followed the release of their last LP with two consecutive anniversary tours, which celebrated their first two albums by playing them in full night after night.
While there is certainly ample nostalgia fueling these now-common trips down memory lane, it was never necessary for Circa Survive to do these tours. They could have easily kept on with their current material, but seemed invigorated by mining their collective past, and from this, may have tapped into something that they lost with the years: a willingness to risk something, to indulge in restlessness. And damn if it isn’t refreshing to hear Green trade in his high-pitched growls for a full on scream here and there.
The album’s centerpiece, and its longest song, “At Night It Gets Worse,” is a dreamlike slow-burn that lulls the listener into a place of vulnerability, with moments of anxiety translated through sudden bursts of guitars that wail and jitter as the track lopes on towards its climax. Similarly, “The Amulet,” the title track and closer to the album, might be among the record’s most infectious songs. With its powerful build-up and invigorating payoff, CS is firing on all pistons with this finale, and its last minute makes for one of the finest moments on any album in their discography. Though Green’s lyrics appear to touch on themes familiar to him, those of addiction, loss, and subsequent redemption, they tend more towards symbol-heavy stream of consciousness meditations, which are more effective than some of his more pseudo-philosophical self-help narratives (Surely “Always Begin” and “I’ll Find A Way” worked for someone, somewhere). Here he seems happier to let the music guide the words, focusing on the feeling at hand, the moment, and his words and voice are the stronger for it.
That is not to say that every moment is entirely fresh. There are passages, and even tracks, where the band retreads onto some familiar territory, as on “Rites of Investiture” and “Flesh and Bone,” the somewhat token ballad of the bunch – but even these are delivered with more strength and tenderness, respectively, than their familiar counterparts from records past. The album is filled out by strange and surprising songs like “Tunnel Vision” and “The Hex,” that show the band meddling with time signatures and melodic tropes in ways they haven’t for years. Dueling guitars from Frangicetto and Ekstrom provide a swaying undercurrent of melody and tension, rather than blaring to the forefront with cheap hooks. The step away from the familiar, back towards a more atmospheric, and at times even chimerical approach, brings out the very best in this band by joining the enthrallment of their past with the clarity they have gained by writing and performing as a single entity for over a decade.
The album’s cover – another evocative entry in the band’s ongoing collaboration with Esao Andrews, without whose work a new Circa Survive album would feel inauthentic – shows a woman, naked in a desolate landscape, bending beneath the burden of a giant, somewhat sinister shell. While the image is arresting, it seems at odds with the overall feel of this album. Maybe this picture is the band commenting on the responsibility of having a platform, a voice that people keep coming back to hear, stripped of all privacy and struggling with expectations. But, The Amulet feels like Circa Survive at their most unburdened – shedding the formulas and trials of their collective past, accepting their strengths and limitations, and discovering something new through their enduring unity.
With The Amulet we are not just given a re-introduction to the band. It is more than a statement of resilience and a reminder of what once was. Full of creativity, lacking predictability, it is a damn good album that rings with a sense of urgency most bands fail to sustain through two or three albums, let alone a half dozen.
The beach and ocean provide a sense of freedom and adventure. Intertwining these two seemingly contrasting cultures creates an intriguing clash of aesthetics and themes. The image of a Goth in a bar, surrounded by people with a completely different lifestyle and mindset, already sparks the imagination. What would lead a Goth to surf, or to even be interested in surfing? It questions the notion of stereotypes and pushes beyond the usual boundaries imposed by society. Adding the element of being cursed adds another layer of mystique to the topic. Curses are often associated with supernatural and paranormal events. They imply that an individual is trapped or affected by a negative force beyond their control. This curse could be immense, affecting their everyday life, or it could be more subtle, subtly altering their interactions and experiences. Bringing the idea of being cursed into the context of a Goth bar surf cursed raises questions about the consequences and effects of embracing multiple subcultures with conflicting aesthetics and values. Does this curse manifest physically or mentally? Are there tangible consequences, or is it more symbolic? Overall, the concept of a Goth bar surf cursed captures the imagination and invites further exploration. It combines elements of Goth subculture, beach culture, and the supernatural, creating a unique blend that challenges stereotypes and pushes boundaries. It leaves open-ended questions, giving plenty of room for interpretation and personal reflection..
Reviews for "Paddling Against the Current: Goth Babes Shatter Convention in the Surfing World"
1. Emily - 1 star - I couldn't stand "Goth babr surf cursd". The storyline was all over the place and made no sense. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any depth. It felt like the author was just throwing random elements together in an attempt to create something unique, but it failed miserably. The writing itself was also very poor, with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing throughout. Overall, I found this book to be a complete waste of time and would not recommend it to anyone.
2. Tom - 2 stars - "Goth babr surf cursd" had an interesting concept that initially caught my attention, but unfortunately, it fell flat in execution. The pacing was uneven, with some parts dragging on and others feeling rushed. I also found the character development to be lacking, as many of the actions and motivations felt forced and unrealistic. Additionally, the dialogue was awkward and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the story or the characters. Overall, while I appreciate the attempt to create something unique, I was left disappointed and unsatisfied by this book.
3. Jessica - 2.5 stars - I had high hopes for "Goth babr surf cursd" based on the intriguing title and cover, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow, with unnecessary subplots that detracted from the main storyline. The writing style was also inconsistent, switching between overly descriptive paragraphs and abrupt, choppy sentences. Additionally, the characters lacked depth and came across as cliché and unrelatable. While there were a few redeeming qualities, overall, I found this book to be underwhelming and wouldn't recommend it to others.
4. David - 1.5 stars - "Goth babr surf cursd" was a confusing mess from beginning to end. The author seemed more interested in creating shock value than in developing a cohesive and engaging story. The excessive violence and explicit content felt gratuitous and unnecessary, detracting from any potential enjoyment. The characters were unlikeable and lacked any redeeming qualities, making it difficult to care about their fates. The writing itself was also subpar, with frequent grammatical and spelling errors. Overall, this book left a bad taste in my mouth and I regret wasting my time on it.