Exclusive: Hear some Modern Surf Classics, courtesy of Rocket From The Crypt’s Swami John Reis

By now, fans of John Reis are accustomed to the musician’s stylistic shifts. Regardless of what pseudonym Reis takes on—Speedo, Slasher, The Swami—he’s proven adept at everything from winding post-hardcore to horn-laden rock ‘n’ roll, so it comes as no surprise that his newest album boasts another sonic shift. Billing himself as Swami John Reis, and collaborating with garage rockers The Blind Shake, he’s paying tribute to the distinctly vintage sounds of surf-rock. The A.V. Club is streaming all of Modern Surf Classics in advance of its release on January 27, which sees Swami John Reis & The Blind Shake craft songs that speak to surf music’s disparate sides. Whether it be the calming waves of “Poseidon’s Tears” lapping on the shore, or the riff-filled storms of “Sea Saw” crashing in, Reis and co. prove there’s still plenty of life left in surf-rock. And, when worn with confidence, a Hawaiian shirt can be a mighty fine look.