Album Details

• Artist: By Surprise
• Album: Mountain Smashers
• Label: Topshelf
• Year of Release: 2011
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2011-04-09

No, this isn't my usual cup of tea. A fresh perspective, perhaps, is occasionally a good sign for a music review. Of course, I've heard much in the same vein as New Jersey's (represent!) By Surprise, and their debut album Mountain Smashers is comfortable enough with me in terms of familiarity. But I am stumped for comparisons. The bands you see mentioned in the "TIYL" section are all mentioned in the press release and are all unknown to me. However, if they're anything similar to By Surprise, I may have to expand my horizons a bit more.

The name of the game here is melody, very strong melody, something the songwriters of this band should take endless credit for developing throughout the album. Every song seems to have the ability to lay it's hooks in, whether they be the short, sharp bursts of punk rock like "Photoshoot" and "So Long And Thanks For All The Sharkjaws", or the somewhat less short, mid-paced toe-tappers like Mostly Harmless", "Last Chance to See" and "$600 Exorcism". The album grasps you right away with a quirky and cool guitar lead on "Books by Thoreau" and really doesn't dissapoint at any step after. I think "Hanging out with Wendy in Sulk Land" may be my favorite track, a punky chant-along that ends very interestingly. You'll also be impressed with the heart-felt lyrical ambiguity on Fountain Splashers" and "Direct Loans".

Like I said before, comparisons escape me, but what never escapes me (for long) is good music, and that you will find in spades on Mountain Smashers. From what little I know of the scene, I think New Jersey is starting to produce a bigger variety of indie rock than ever before. It may be hard to sift through, but I can't imagine By Surprise not becoming a leading name going forward on the strength of a debut like this.

User Reviews and Comments

on 2011-04-14 AndyFromJersey Said:

Getting through school, the usual. Right now I'm looking for internships around Philly. And, cool enough, the band just posted the review on facebook!
Rating: 9/10

on 2011-04-14 dscanland Said:

Wow! Blast from the past. How's it going Andy? What have you been up to?
Not Rated

on 2011-04-14 AndyFromJersey Said:

Dudes! I used to sit in with this band, right around the time I was writing for Music Emissions. Great music, great bunch of guys.
Rating: 9/10

on 2011-04-12 hstisgod Said:

I did enjoy this album a bit...great review, you nailed it
Rating: 8/10