The premier EP from Shindig runner-up Skinny Kids is an all-too-brief collection of reverberating psyched-out surf pop that is sure to get you grooving. Released only on cassette and Bandcamp (with some nifty artwork by David Ullock), these six slick rockers avoid getting snagged on kitsch and instead manage to create a collection of honest, timeless songs that could very well be released in 1967, 1985 or 2013.
“Small Room” starts things off with a cool anticipation, like an early morning drive to the beach with the boards in the back of the truck. It then fades into a unrequited love song that finds singer Trevor Gray pining for attention from “Cool Fetish Girls.” Things continue to stroll along with “Greek Women,” and then, with a cautionary warble of feedback, “Sandalwood and Peppermint” comes crashing in like an epic set, the song offering you no choice but to drop in and take a brisk ride. The very 1960s-sounding “Love Cult” ducks into the curl, rocking right along while the crisp water splashes your face. Finally “All Gold” closes out the set and brings you drifting back to the beach with a smile on your face.

Skinny Kids’ first effort is more than solid; they have put together six songs that define cool. The only foreseeable gripe anyone may have with the EP is that 16 minutes and 29 seconds of this sleek surf rock.