BLACK VINYL LP.
"The beachy post-punk duo are at their most confident on their third album, with a sense of anguish that brings emotional depth to otherwise plain lyrics. Los Angeles musician Nick Rattigan has always kept his artistic personas clearly divided. There’s the somber, introspective Rattigan, sole member of Current Joys, whose seclusion manifests in downtempo guitar pop that echoes like a tinny speaker in a cave. Then there’s the bolder Rattigan, drummer and singer of Surf Curse, whose self-deprecating heartaches spiral into restless guitar riffs. Current Joys songs feel like private reflections—particularly on last year’s A Different Age—but his music with bandmate Jacob Rubeck pulls you in by the hand. While early Surf Curse often fell victim to juvenile songwriting (“I’m Not Making Out With You” and “Forever Dumb” appeared on their 2013 EP Sad Boys), their third album, Heaven Surrounds You, is the most confident Rattigan’s ever sounded."