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Dec 14, 2015 Surfer Blood By Christopher Roberts

Surfer Blood guitarist Thomas Fekete has been battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Recently several of his fellow musicians rallied behind him and donated previously unreleased songs to be sold to help pay his medical bills. Now Fekete has put out his own release, a solo cassette entitled Burner. It’s out now via Joyful Noise. Below you can hear the short and lo-fi “Treason.”

Fekete issued a statement about Burner:

“Sometime between March and June of 2015 while healing from two surgeries and starting chemotherapy, I hunched over my four track and created this disaster. No multiple takes, no expensive mics, no outside direction…just me in my bedroom with a very cheap, bare bones setup.

Some of these songs reflect on good times, days I’m able to walk on my own, talk, and function like a somewhat normal human being. Others remind me of barfing between vocal takes, wheel chairs, dilaudid withdrawals, and tears, from my family, my spouse, my dear friends. However, like everything in my life, I did manage to find some humor in my situation, and I hope that helps level out all the heavy stuff.

Love you, be happy pls

Thom”

His health insurance has been covering more than six months of regular chemotherapy treatments, but does not cover an alternative treatment plan he’s also been undergoing. As Fekete is unable to work and tour he’s been relying on fan and friend donations to his GoFundMe page to help pay for treatments. The artists who recently donated songs to help Fekete include Real Estate, Yo La Tengo, Cults, The Drums, Guided By Voices, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Julianna Barwick, ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead, and, of course, Surfer Blood, among others. All 13 songs are available as a digital download with a donation of $10 or more to Fekete’s GoFundMe page via Surfer Blood’s website.

Burner Tracklist:

01 Loser Uncle
02 Ocean
03 Weather Press
04 Roll on River
05 Banklet
06 Knife Bank
07 Treason
08 Problems
09 Gold
10 Melk Mustache
11 Pick Up The Things That You Need

(Via Pitchfork)