The end of November might seem like a strange time of the year to release a surf-pop album. The nights are drawing in, it’s getting cold and the last thing you want is somebody waving feel-good summer vibes in your direction. The world can be a cruel enough place without someone reminding you of what your life could be like. Rejoice then this is is not just another happy-go-lucky Summer Daze album. Underneath Bournemouth trio Bos Angeles’ sunny veneer , there is a disaffection usually reserved for those born in a more “post industrial” environment (see: Up North). That’s not to say this is by any means a dark album. This compilation of material from four previously unreleased EPs, now released on cassette, and seemingly marking the band’s demise, features doo-wop backing vocals and a relentlessly optimistic rhythm section keep the mood light, but the omnipresent fuzz coupled with the albums misanthropic lyrics give the album an interesting sinister edge. Think a Californian Jesus And Mary Chain.

This is a long album (21 tracks) and as can often be the problem with long collection of songs, there are some issues with consistency and variation. While there are certainly more than a few gems in the album (‘Endless Summer’ and an excellent ‘Keel Her’ cover being highlights), they can all too often be buried in amongst the more forgettable songs. This is a real shame because I can’t help but feel that with a little more judicious editing, this could have been a beautiful summer comedown of an album; but after an hour of feedback and thunderous drums (two things I hold dear to my heart, let it be noted) , ear fatigue begins to set in, all the songs start to sound alike and I start to crave something a little less abrasive.

When listening to this album it’s hard not to think about how it’s been 4 years since Wavves’ debut LP. What’s more, it’s been nearly 40 years since we saw bands like Velvet Underground and Les Rallizes Dénudés create beautiful things with Noise and Classic Rock and Roll. I’m perfectly willing to accept that, for some, innovation isn’t entirely necessary to enjoy a band, but over the past year we’ve been subject to more and more surf-punk bands, all playing in a similar style, all having varying levels of success with the genre. While this is probably one of the stronger efforts of the past year, it’s nevertheless becoming hard to separate one from the next. There is some good songwriting on show on this album, but perhaps Bos Angeles never really quite possessed that extra something that might have made them to stand out of an increasingly busy crowd.