Fronted by pro surfer Alex Naust, and featuring former surf gear designer Andrew Atkinson on drums, Costa Mesa's Japanese Motors have the kind of cool credentials last seen in the Strokes, further evidenced by their hooky songs and Naust's distorted, crooned vocals. Formed in 2004, Japanese Motors first earned a reputation around Southern California for Stooges covers and shows closely approximating beach beer bashes. The 2008 surf-obsessed debut, SINGLE FINS & SAFETY PINS, boasted a can't-miss summer single in the title track, whose swirling reverb, handclaps, and Jan & Dean ooh-ahh backing vocals captured perfectly the group's worldview