Surfbort’s new single “Silly D” is a memory of what punk was and is

by JUSTIN CERVANTES

The Brooklyn-based punk group, Surfbort, has released a brand new single: “Silly D.” It’s the second single the band has released in a year, following two brief EPs, and it shows the band’s persistence to their jagged punk sound. In fact, “Silly D” sounds more rough and alien than the band’s average discography, but that’s to the betterment of the single.

Directed by David Fern & Sean Powell Makeup by Ashlyn Lent Starring Dani Miller, Sean Powell, Matt Picola, and Nick Arnold Produced and Mixed: Dave Sitek Eng...

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Surfbort stands out amongst their peers by their seemingly dated and rough music, but that isn’t to their detriment. Rather, the band deliberately recalls 70s punk (thankfully more in music than fashion), by servicing music that is raw and, in some ways, ugly. Though ugliness isn’t an insult in the punk sense — it’s a refusal to conform. And for the past five years, Surfbort has been causing a ruckus in the wake of over-polished and overproduced commercial punk. “Silly D” is a testament to the band’s willingness to keep punk as the counterculture genre that it once was, which discomforts you as much as it energizes.

“Silly D” is a raw track that grips and commands your attention, with a hypnotic opening that explodes into Surfbort’s typical punk haze, but dialed to eleven. At times, vocalist Dani Miller performs almost off-beat to the chaotic guitar riffs and foundational drumming, which would sound off in any other song. But due to the intense unorthodox nature of the single, this vocal hitch sounds natural and engaging.

If you’re looking for a modern take on classic punk, or if you just want a fever-dream of a punk track, “Silly D” is the single you need. It’s an embodiment of punk as it was before, and hopefully a taste of the underground punk to come yet. Until then, however, Surfbort will continue to branch the counterculture punk of the 70s into a new decade.

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Listen to Surfbort’s new single “Silly D” and keep up with us on Instagram for more punk rock on your daily commute

Words by Justin Cervantes

Photos by Taylor Lacayo + James A. Duran