Austin-based surf rock band The Avocados are proud to announce their new album ¡Ensalada! The energetic 11-track instrumental album is set for release on November 13th on Found Object Records. The band will also be celebrating in Austin at The Far Out Lounge on release day (11/13) and prior to that with a special set at BLK Vinyl Records on November 7th.
The Avocados seed was planted in 2013 on the fertile east side soil of Austin, TX. by Greg Rhoades. Greg is a seasoned Texas bassist, writer and performer with such bands as: Golden Dawn Arkestra, Mudphonic and Starchild. His growing interest in playing guitar and a love of surf music led him to form the band with his friends and neighbors: Ben Prentice (bass), Travis Cooper (organ) and Johnny Gasyna (drums). In 2017, when Travis and Johnny stepped away from the band, Greg reached out to some long-time friends and musical compadres. John Branch (Hardproof, Golden Dawn Arkestra, Spanish Gold) on organ/guitar and Alex Marrero (Brownout, Brown Sabbath, Carrie Rodriguez) on drums. These two seasoned pro's joined Greg and original bass player Ben Prentice (Roxy Roca/Diagonals) to round out the band. The energy was exciting and the chemistry was palpable. Alex adds, "The vibe of this new line up really has a very particular energy. Everyone brings their own influences to the table and interprets this genre in a unique way."
The experience of the band members ranges from afrobeat to psych to Latin and punk, which all gets mixed into their love of surf music. ¡Ensalada! captures the spirit of this unique and magical style of music; one which brings joy to people of all ages and walks of life. ¡Ensalada! was recorded and mixed at Buds Studio in east Austin. Along with engineer Sam Patlove, the band impressively tracked the album 100% live to analog tape in 3 days, just one week before the pandemic shut the world down. Although a bulk of the songs were written by Greg, the making of the album was a very collaborative with each member assisting in arranging and orchestrating the record. Alex explains, "I enjoyed the pre-production process of this album a great deal. Because it was very creative. Everyone had ideas about the arrangements, where to take the songs, how to make them better or more powerful." Ben adds, "This release felt special to us. There is more room for solos on the record. It feels like a gelling of this new lineup."
¡Ensalada! showcases the breadth of styles the band brings to surf rock. The album opens with the energy of "Bampheus," blending a classic surf sound with a punk-rock edge. Then "Tequila Derby" brings a feel good funky vibe to it, reminiscent of 60's era go-go. "Chamuko" is the band's take on Greg's composition "Shabuki" which was recorded by Golden Dawn Arkestra. Alex adds, "We deconstructed the song and put it back together. It has a really spy movie trip about it. We're always having fun with the names of our songs. So I re-dubbed it 'Chamuko' which means a devil or demon in Spanish. But it's also the name of a spicy sweet candy I used to have as a kid in Mexico City!" "Surf Juan O' Juan" was composed by John Branch originally for an ad for a surf apparel company. It has a fun, classic surf sound about it. "Pistolero" is a spaghetti western nod to Ennio Morriccone on this short, moody piece with a cool cinematic feel to it. Sam Patlove's adds his trumpet chops to round it out. The album flows from Side A to Side B begging it to be replayed. The last track "Malkous" is a staple in The Avocados live show, which morphs in many directions when they play it live. A great way to close out the album and to flip the record over again.
The Avocados are thrilled to release the new album and perform to their hometown Austin audience with the goal of getting national and international ears on the record too. John mentions, "The band is much tighter and has really found an audience in Austin who connects with the music and vibe." Alex adds, "Excited to get this music out there! We want the band to keep playing to larger enthusiastic audiences!" While Ben sums it up best by stating, "We're four dudes who love playing surf music. It's such a great and fun genre. We're happy to share it with the world."
To commemorate the album Found Object will also be re-pressing the out-of-print and acclaimed first Avocados LP, so you can cop their full discography.
Pre-order ¡Ensalada! at: http://www.foundobjectrecords.com
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