11-9-11 - "Old Friend" ~ The O.C. Supertones

I find tonight's track to be incredibly evocative.  Every time I hear the opening chords, I'm instantly transported to a beach in SoCal.  Wait, I've never been to California, but I can still imagine what it would be like!  The music just has that vibe of sitting around a bonfire on the beach, in the late (late) Indian summer, after one last perfect day riding the waves, enjoying the company of close friends and playing some surfy, relaxing tunes to wind things down...

 (photo borrowed from laurenmeg)

This one lacks the trademark horns and blistering ska heat of the bulk of the band's work, but it's one of my favorites from their catalog nonetheless.  As I mentioned, the gentle surf guitar and bass rhythm are just swell, the harmonies sublime, and the guitar solo in the bridge is beautiful in its restraint.

"What do I know? Somebody tell me

I've been running from you for so long…"

(photo borrowed from yan_san)