Song of the Day: Beach Slang - Punks In A Disco Bar

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on The Morning Show with John Richards, is “Punks In A Disco Bar” by Beach Slang from their forthcoming album, A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings, due September 23rd on Polyvinyl Records.

Beach Slang - Punks In A Disco Bar (MP3)

Philly four-piece Beach Slang capture the youthful energy and honesty of teenage life and share it in the form of anthemic punk-rock. It may be a surprise to some that the youthful themes and honest, self-depreciating songwriting found throughout the band's music comes from the mind of 40-something year old lead man James Alex. But nostalgia is just as key an element to the group as teenage feelings are. Riding off the success of 2015's The Things We Do To Find People Who feel Like Us, Beach Slang will release their sophomore album, A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings, in late September. The upcoming album is equally about the fans who found refuge in the comforts of Alex's band's first album, as it is about him doing the same as a teenager. And while he may not be "that young kid anymore," Alex's ability to genuinely reflect on his youth while celebrating his musical influences creates a duality that is at the core of the band's appeal. It's why people who grew up listening to The Replacements and Hüsker Dü are just as likely to find it appealing as teenagers facing the realities of life for the first time are. It's nostalgia generating in both the sounds it taps into and the feelings it conveys. It's also why it hits hard whether it's blasted through a wall of fuzz to a rowdy crowd or conveyed through an intimate acoustic performance. The energy is matched by honesty, creating a thoroughly euphoric experience for young and old souls a like.

A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings single and song of the day "Punks In A Disco Bar" channels the same exuberant energy found throughout the group's debut album. Guitar riffs recall the best of 90's pop-punk and James' gravely voice emanates enough emotion to fill a stadium. But like most of the band's work, the song is much more suited for a sweaty basement than a stadium, and when James lets out a gritty yell halfway through the song, it's easy to picture a raucous crowd immersed in the loud bash of teenage feelings, shouting right along with him.

Beach Slang's A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings will arrive in stores on September 23rd via Polyvinyl Records. Though they played the Vera Project back in April, keep an eye on their website and Facebook page for possible future Seattle dates. In the meantime, check out the official video for "Punks In A Disco Bar" below: