Zack Mexico is one of my favorite North Carolina bands, hailing from way out on the Outer Banks. The lines at Deep South were long (all weekend), but it was worth it to get in for about half of their set. With St. Vincent, these two were a tie for the second best set at Hopscotch (that I saw, anyway). Their weird, psych-surf-jammy meld is just pure, distilled, rock'n'roll energy... intense yet fun. Seldom do I enjoy a song that goes on for longer than 7 or 8 minutes. But later on this blog, I'll post a 10-minute smoker that they closed with. Stunning set (even just the half). - How Strange It Is To Be Anything At All

St. Vincent and Zack Mexico are the highlights of Friday's Hopscotch; Yo La Tengo's side project, not so much.

Back on the plus side, Friday’s other main highlight was Zack Mexico, a young bunch from the Outer Banks that’s been through some changes since I saw them at Hopscotch 2012. Back then, they sounded like the world’s oddest surf band. This year’s model was more along the lines of MC5, a pulverizing lineup with two drummers and three guitarists all in a race to see who would finish first. And it opened up with the frontman coming onstage, stripping off his clothes, donning a dress and holding a drum aloft to punch a hole in it. Then they started bashing away and it was glorious. - News & Observer

Zack Mexico have been serving as living proof that the scene in Eastern North Carolina is far from out-of-touch. While the coastal region of the state may not have the constant output of areas like the Triangle, that doesn't mean that there aren't some absolute musical gems hiding within the often overlooked area.

Zack Mexico have been crafting a unique blend of spacey surf rock for the past few years and with each release they seem to dig deeper and deeper into their musical niche. It's become increasingly harder to classify the group and that seems to be the plan here, their albums tend to bleed together pretty seamlessly despite the fact that each track is an amorphous blend of 70s psych-rock and indie pop.

Run Out Of Money And Die, conveniently released this past Sunday on the "joint" holiday to end all holidays of Easter and 4/20 (at least we can all agree on the candy), finds the band within familiar sonic territory. Those that heard Ephemera, the band's second full length released a mere six months ago, will find that Run Out Of Money And Die falls into a similar musical patch. The album is filled with a pretty even combination of short, fast-paced tracks that boast powerful, memorable hooks and spaced-out psych jams with equally compelling melodies and experimental noodling. For those that aren't afraid to get a little weird, Run Out Of Money And Die serves as an excellent break from a monotonous day, allowing the listener to jump into the frenetic minds of the young Zack Mexico crew.

Run Out Of Money And Die perfectly tows the line between subtlety and abrasiveness, one minute you're lost within the track thanks to the expansive mixes that toy with alternating panning and delays, the next you're giggling at tracks like "Reputation"as vocalist John Saturly eases into a low-toned melody proudly proclaiming his reputation for smoking pot. I've drawn comparisons to Frank Zappa with this band before and I feel like Run Out Of Money And Die does quite a bit to solidify that, there's some strange eccentricities on the album like "Reed Frost," a track whose chorus seems to just read off ingredients while dabbling in deep grooves.

However, what Run Out Of Money And Die does most effectively is solidify the fact that Zack Mexico is a band that has infinite potential on the horizon. It's hard to find an act like this that can pack an album with four tracks over 6 minutes and not have a single one feel monotonous or over the top. It's all methodically arranged so that the long, rambling songs are bookended by a few brief, almost punk-inspired tunes.

Ultimately Run Out Of Money And Die serves as an exciting continuation in the arc of Zack Mexico as musicians, it's clear that they're beginning to find their footing as a band. They're not shying away from long-running tracks when needed and they're not afraid to take listeners out of their comfort zone. Dissonant arrangements and low-toned vocals may make the band immediately stick out from a crowd, but their immense musical talents and knack for infectious melodies are what keeps fans coming back for more. Plop down on the couch with a pair of headphones and give this album a spin, it makes for an immersive listening experience that'll take you careening through a wide array of sonic fields...or whatever, man. - The Bottom String

Zack Mexico, one of the best bands in the state, brought their surreal, psychedelic, and darkly surfy brand of indie to the Triangle again about a week ago. The main objective was to celebrate the release of their excellent full-length debut, Ephemera of Altruisms, on local label DiggUp Tapes. They also brought a great light show, which perfectly accented their sound.

Then Zack Mexico took the stage. From the thunderous, seemingly endless opening number to the similarly drawn-out feedback/fader of a closer, they never bored. To me, any song clocking in at over 10 minutes usually just starts to drag. But after their opener ended (in what, 20? 30 minutes?), I just stood there stunned. And pleasantly so. Turns out, jam band tendencies can be entertaining. Hugely.

I think that sometimes, it takes a band from way off the beaten path (in this case, the Kill Devil Hills, NC) to create something totally original. Zack Mexico is sort of surf, sort of jam, sort of shoegaze, and none of and all of the above. They use these sounds but don't play by their rules, and the result is an original brand of rock not really like anything else in these parts. Pick up the CD to hear what I'm rambling on about. As for the rest, I'll let the photos do the talking. Again, great light show (though it was almost outdone by singer John Saturley's jacket)... - How Strange It Is To Be Anything At All