Open City Announces New LP 'Hands In The Honey Jar'

Philadelphia hard-hitting punk and hardcore band Open City announces the release of their newest album, Hands In The Honey Jar, out October 6, 2023, via queer, indie record label Get Better Records. Along with the announcement, the band is giving us a taste of the forthcoming LP release with new single "Return Your Stolen Property Is Theft."

Bass and drum-driven verses precede minimal-meets-mineral guitar chord-bending until highly syncopated drumming in the last third of the song brings the verse-ending riff to a breakdown, over which vocalist Rachel Rubino screams about taking responsibility for the sins of generations past.

Guitarist Dan Yemin comments, “Return Your Stolen Property Is Theft,” as a musical statement, showcases all the things we do best. It heavily alludes to mid-80 Dischord and early Ink & Dagger, while acknowledging what we all know in our deepest heart of hearts: the Faith/Void split is a false binary.”

There is no illusion that Open City doesn't have easily searchable names. It’s, as bassist Andy Nelson says, “impossible to avoid” that Google will reveal myriad projects and connections that span the past 30 years of punk and range from New Jersey to California.

Simply, Open City are four experienced rockers who have worked and lived through many eras of punk and hardcore. Their influences reflect that and their combined understanding of themselves as artists. There’s no pretense with all their interests in the world of music and with what Open City achieved with their upcoming LP, Hands In The Honey Jar.

To produce the record, Open City relied on Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Show Me The Body, Glitterer). Though drums were recorded in a studio, bass, guitar, and vocals were recorded in a wood shop.