Grace Busby
Grace Busby

Have lived in Cornwall for 4 years now and am low-key scared of the sea, but also couldn’t imagine not being able to sit and look at it. My first taste of proper live music was at Boardmasters in 2017, where I got greedy and decided I wanted the rest of my life to have beach vibes but also be full of music, art and culture. 

Surf-rock house party legends FIDLAR return after three years, with carefree and upbeat new single ‘Sand On the Beach’

Following the release of FIDLAR’s third studio album ‘Almost Free‘ in 2019, we endured a long and void-like three years without any original music from the Southern Californian punk band. However, just as fans were starting to accept being stomped on by the pandemic and trudging limply into a duller adult life, FIDLAR came back in full force with comeback song FSU. Soon after, we were handed ‘Sand On The Beach‘, the second single from their forthcoming EP, which has been announced for early 2023. 

Zac Carper, Max Kuehn and Brandon Schwartzel make up FIDLAR, and started out playing at house parties around Los Angeles in the early 2010s. Their surf-rock roots and thought-mouth lyrics make for epic live shows, and through the years they have managed to create the soundtrack for exactly how it feels to be young, dumb, and looking for the next good time. During the pandemic when they were unable to tour, each band member set out on individual endeavors to work on their own projects and experiment with different music styles. This experience helped them go back to basics, and rediscover how they wanted to make music in the first place: no bells and whistles, just three chords and the truth.  

‘Sand On The Beach‘ shows that FIDLAR haven’t lost their sound and they haven’t lost their vibe. The single is driven by attitude and adrenaline, and the SoCal teen spirit lives on strong. Zac Carper is known for his endearing yet irreverent lyrics. Even when the story behind a song gets dark, FIDLAR always keep it light and catchy. This approach sticks true to their motto and band name: Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk. FIDLAR don’t take themselves too seriously, which only makes their music hit home that much harder. Listening to ‘Sand On The Beach‘ is like overhearing a conversation or watching someone’s train of thought fall out of their mouth. You know how they’re feeling, and they know how you’re feeling (bored, a little confused, but doing ok), which is what makes a song that you can really carry with you. ‘Sand On The Beach‘ fluctuates between laid back beach guitar and heavy riffs, mirroring the songs contradictory lyrics and making it everyone’s new jam for feeling good in the most mediocre situations.  

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, we watched the music video, where each member of FIDLAR gives a multi-character performance worthy of a number of television awards. The band throw themselves into scenes from their very own 1990s beach-side soap opera, directed by long-time collaborator Ryan Baxley. This tongue-in-cheek production confirms FIDLAR as a down to earth, DIY punk band who are in the music industry to have a good time and do what feels right creatively. 

Listen to/watch ‘Sand On The Beach‘ here: