As a phrase, ‘Endless Summer’ has been part of our lexicon since at least 1966 when filmmaker Bruce Brown delivered his seminal surf documentary to the world. But certainly the general ethos behind the words has existed for as long as students have been set free from the rigors of work and study in order to pursue a summertime’s worth of… well, mostly whatever the fuck they want. It’s an ideal we all say we aspire to — living life on your own terms, living without limits, living the dream, etcetera — but so few of us actually achieve.

For Athens punks Shehehe, the title track to their forthcoming sophomore LP is first and foremost a heart-on-sleeve ripper seething with shout-along hooks and tempestuous energy. Simply stated, “Endless Summer” is the band at their blistering best, turning barreling guitars and exuberant vocals into a three-and-a-half-minute punk rock joyride.

Secondly, however, the song serves as a kind of thematic glue that binds together the record’s remaining missives into a cohesive whole. “‘Endless Summer’ is about the feeling you get after playing a show, or surfing, or having great sex, or whatever gives you the rush of beautiful endorphins that make you a wilder, more adventurous person,” drummer and singer Jason Fusco told PureGrainAudio, who premiered the track late last month. “Wanting to recreate this feeling as much as possible, so your life feels like an endless summer. No school, no work, nowhere to be except exactly where you should be, feeling the best you possibly can, never wanting it to end…”

Created by the band, the makeshift video’s use of old, grainy home footage is appropriately fun and whimsical, but it also reinforces the notion that much of the obsession with pursuing a life without restraints is harbored in fading memories and nostalgia. Most of the imagery — suntanning at the lake, driving up the California coast, and, of course, the idyllic surf footage — plays out like scenes from so many old postcards. On the one hand, it’s enchanting and thrilling, but part of you knows that all summers, no matter how reckless and bold, must come to an end.

Endless Summer is out August 11 via Laser Brains.

Shehehe will celebrate the release of Endless Summer with a pair of shows. The first goes down Fri., August 11 at RowdyDowdy with Spray Tan, And That Is Why, and Mall Goth. Doors open at 5 p.m. The second is on Sat., August 12 at the 40 Watt with the Grawks, Palace Doctor, and Dusty Blades. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $5. 18+ to enter.

More Info
Bandcamp: shehehe.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @sheheheband
Instagram: @shehehe
SoundCloud: @shehehe-1