Surfing is very important for Darren Rademaker, frontman for Los Angeles’ The Tyde. Its influence is quite apparent in his band’s name, song titles, and album art themes. You couldn’t miss its influence in the songs either, with boogie rock numbers like “North County Times,” about hanging out in Encinitas, and “New D”’s celebration of the healing effects of wave riding: “ain’t gonna fight ‘em anymore/leave those bastard people on the shore/surf a wave on a single-fin board”. The Tyde’s rhythms collapse like waves hitting the sand, guitars glisten like reflections of the morning sun, vocals float like an afternoon breeze. But this isn’t exactly surf music. Rather, this is music for surfers, or anyone with a penchant for temporary escape, for that matter. It’s a soundtrack for getting in the van and heading to the coast in a giddy, early morning haze after a late night out. In fact, each one of The Tyde’s records is just long enough for the ride from the band’s home in Echo Park to the pleasant longboarding rollers of south Orange County. With Rademaker at the wheel, the band connects the dots between Bob Dylan, the Byrds, Millennium, the Flying Burrito Brothers and Felt, rolling it up and passing around the perfect musical prescription along the way for the re-emergence of California cool.

The Tyde’s journey began back in the early 90s when Rademaker and brother Brent fronted Further, the legendary LA indie outfit in which they first began mixing twisted, Beach Boys and Jan & Dean-influenced, suburban California harmonies with Jesus and Mary Chain and Teenage Fanclub-influenced guitar pop chaos. Recent LA music history could not ignore the impact of that single band’s influence, which ignited a forest fire of notable bands to follow—Beachwood Sparks, All Night Radio, Frausdots, and, of course, The Tyde—connected through common membership and musical vision, friendship and brotherhood. Dare we say their combined creative output has been unmatched since the halcyon days of late 60s LA?

Once, the Tyde’s debut album, and Twice, its follow up on Rough Trade, take you down the soul searching path all great rock ‘n’ roll records should--cataloging the triumphs and pitfalls of being in a band, reflecting on relationships gone bad, grappling with bittersweet nostalgia, while still managing to provide the light at the end of the tunnel—sometimes all in one song. Even when Rademaker takes these topics to shadowy, personal places, wife Ann Do Rademaker’s keys, Brent’s bass and vocal harmonies, Ben Knight’s clean guitar arpeggios, and Rick Menck’s deceptively simple, bouncy drum fills continue to color and illuminate each track.

The Tyde’s third album, Three’s Co., recently completed at VisionQuest Studios in Los Angeles, is slated for release in March of 2006. The standard Tyde lineup is joined by guests Mickey Madden of Maroon 5 and Conor Deasy from The Thrills among others. You can expect The Tyde to rise again with their new release – washing your ears with the warmth of the California sun and the majesty of the Pacific.

-Terry Sowers