Pom Pom Squad Shares New Single With Fader

Brooklyn favorite Pom Pom Squad just shared a vulnerable new song,"Honeysuckle" with FADER. A stonewalled anthem of dependency, it's the second single off the quiet grrrl indie-punk band's newly announced Ow EP, out September 6. Frontwoman Mia Berrin explains: "'Honeysuckle' is about burying myself in other people to avoid having to deal with whatever-the-f is going on with me...It's also a song about rebuilding - identifying the wound so you can start to heal it."

The four-piece reminiscent of Rilo Kiley, Mitski and PJ Harvey previously released cathartic first single from the EP, "Heavy Heavy" championed by the likes of Stereogum, Paste, SiriusXM Alt Nation, Under the Radar, Highsnobiety, Thrillist and more. The band has been a staple in Brooklyn for their modern grunge sound and raucous live shows (tour dates here), sharing the stage with indie-rock mainstays Soccer Mommy, Adult Mom, Wild Pinkand Long Neck to name a few.

Listen to Honeysuckle here:

When you hear Pom Pom Squad, you might picture a gaggle of matching teens, or a wry, sarcastic clan decked out in black; the reality is somewhere in between. Alongside Berrin, the band features bassist Mari Alé Figeman, drummer Shelby Keller, and guitarist Ethan Sass. Hailing from a variety of different backgrounds -- from Keller's jazz training to Berrin's classic hip-hop and new wave upbringing -- the group manages to be serious without taking themselves too seriously. It's that balance of solemnity and whimsy that allows punk and tenderness to live side by side: chunky, distorted guitar on some tracks, and near-whisper on others; brash yells or tame, wry wit.

Berrin's music reveals internal discord -- she's intent to cast off the "nice girl" narrative, turning herself inside out to show that she isn't so put-together after all. Also integral to Berrin's self-excoration is her existence as a queer woman of color, two identities that come with their own preconceived notions. With lyrics centering on mental health, abuse, trauma, and healing, Pom Pom Squad pursues radical self-acceptance through periodic self-exposure and self-undressing.

Photo credit: Sammy Ray Nelson

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