surfs up

Brad Laner has long been installed into the psychedelic and weird, from his early drum pounding of Savage Republic and Steaming Coils to his now electronic experiments with the Electric Company. His 90s output was mostly with the pink-noize pop genius of Medicine. Their superb second album, The Buried Life, featured the single 'Never Click'. One of two great b-sides, 'Til I Die' is a fairly straight forward cover of Brian Wilson's exquisite track from the '71 Beach Boys album, Surfs Up.

An expansive and beautifully bittersweet melody surrounds the piece, which seems to stretch and expand as it grows along. Lyrically, it is a dark meditation on mortality and fear, crossed with one's size compared to the universe and forces of nature. - AMG

With the addition of female harmony from Beth Thompson and the undeniable swirl of early 90s dreampop, this cut can convert any sour shoegazer to the Beach Boys.

Medicine - 'Til I Die