Been Stellar Share 'Passing Judgment' From Debut Album

Been Stellar have announced their highly anticipated debut album, Scream From New York, NY, out June 14th via their new label home Dirty Hit.

Lead single “Passing Judgment” is a heart-racing post-punk barnstormer, a masterful deployment of unbearable pressure and violent relief that clearly reveals the band's years of playing together. Later this month the band will embark on a European tour supporting The 1975.

Scream from New York, NY is a remarkably brutal debut – bruised and volatile, it captures an image of ‘20s New York that's unrelenting and harsh, where tenderness is a finite resource burned up by the machinery of the city and human connection is a luxury product.

Leaving behind the driving shoegaze of their early recordings, the NYC-based five-piece tap into the disaffected sound and spirit of New York luminaries like Sonic Youth and Interpol, as well as the nihilistic, yearning cool of Iceage and Bends-era Radiohead, striking upon a sound that's fearsome, buffeting and beautiful at the same time – a tidal wave as viewed from underneath. 

“We were finishing “Passing Judgment” in the midst of our first tour in the UK. Playing through it a bit differently each show, we were learning to look at the song from different angles. The recording feels live because of this process — there's a chaotic feeling in the drums and bass that wouldn't be there if we hadn't finished writing it live,” shares lead vocalist Sam Slocum, “Lyrically I was thinking about why we judge the world around us, and how passing judgment on someone or something is usually rooted in being unsure in oneself.” 

Pre-order the album on vinyl, CD and cassette from Dirty Hit HERE. 

Been Stellar are no strangers to the road, having toured extensively and supported like minded artists like Fontaines DC, Shame & Interpol, honing the livewire sound that's exhibited across their debut. After a surprise NYC headline last week, the band will depart for Europe later this month, where they'll support labelmates The 1975 on a run of stadium and arena shows. Tickets available HERE.

Tour Dates

Feb 26 - Lisbon, PT @ Sagres Campo Pequeno * 

Feb 27 - Madrid, ES @ WiZink Center*

Mar 1 - Paris, FR @ Le Zénith*

Mar 2 - Amsterdam, NE @ AFAS LIVE* SOLD OUT

Mar 3 - Brussels, BE @ Forest National*

Mar 5 - Hamburg, DE @ Barclays Arena*

Mar 7 - Oslo, NO @ Oslo Spektrum*

Mar 8 - Stockholm, SE @ Annexet*

Mar 10 - Copenhagen, DK @ KB Hallen* SOLD OUT

Mar 12 - Berlin, DE @ Mercedes-Benz Arena*

Mar 13 - Warsaw, PL @ Torwar Hall*

Mar 14 - Prague, CZ @ Fortuna Hall*

Mar 16 - Zurich, CH @ Hallenstadion Zurich*

Mar 18 - Munich, DE @ Zenith* SOLD OUT

Mar 19 - Milan, IT @ Mediolanum Forum*

Mar 21 - Frankfurt, DE @ Jahrhunderthalle* SOLD OUT

Mar 22 - Cologne, DE @ Palladium* SOLD OUT

Mar 24 - Amsterdam, NE @ AFAS Live* SOLD OUT

May 4 - Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees

May 15 - Southampton, UK @ Joiners

May 16 - Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape

May 18 - Amsterdam, NL @ London Calling 

May 20 - Bristol, UK @ The Louisiana 

May 22 - Manchester, UK @ YES (basement)

May 23 - London, UK @ The Lexington

July 26 - Sheffield, UK @ Tramlines Fest

July 27 - Oxfordshire, UK @ Truck Fest

July 28 - Suffolk, UK @ Latitude Festival

*supporting The 1975

Photo by Gabe Long

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