Kevin Bronson on October 2nd, 2013

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Instrumental surf music, anyone? Sure, why not. Two bands featuring the talents of some familiar faces have recent releases sure to give your Woodie a woody, or at least provide the perfect backdrop to the next retro-flavored soft drink commercial. First is “Black Sweater Massacre” (released last month), the second full-length from the Reigning Monarchs [pictured above]. It’s the brainchild of author-comedian-guitarist Greg Behrendt and guitarist Michael Eisenstein (Letters to Cleo), along with bassist David Hawkins and drummer Blair Sinta. The quartet’s fusion of surf, ska and punk suggests the foreboding of a 50-foot wave crashing into devil-may-care beach partyers, owning to the nifty horn parts played by Lee Thornburg and Eugene Toale. Also notable are the Incredible Heavies [pictured after the jump], who this week released their second EP, “Blackball Rebellion.” The trio of guitarist Matt Powell, bassist Chris Zerby (Hello Dragon) and Dave Foy write songs like “Mexican Pain Killers” and “Santa Monica Girls,” with riffs suggesting all is not sunny here in paradise. Surf ’n’ roll, dudes.

||| Stream: The Reigning Monarchs, “Black Sweater Massacre” and “Murder Your Summer”

||| Stream: The Incredible Heavies, “The Stranger”

||| Live: The Incredible Heavies play Oct. 5 at Trip in Santa Monica.