Psychology Release Bold New Single 'First Contact' & Announce Debut Self-Titled Album

Rock band Psychology have released their debut single “First Contact,” the first offering from their forthcoming self-titled debut album via Cart/Horse Records out Friday, September 8th. Inspired by the moment front man John Atkinson met his wife, the track soars with a blended balance of hazy vocals, a thick drum groove, and buzzing guitars that transition into a masterful guitar solo.

“I had the main riff for ‘First Contact’ for a while, which was influenced by Black Sabbath, and was waiting for something to come to me to make up another section of the song. I really wasn’t looking for any particular fit... just something else,” John shares. “One day I was waiting for a friend to pick me up to head out of town for a weekend and he was a few minutes late. I was packed and ready to go, so I sat by the door and picked up a guitar I had sitting on a stand and the part came right out. He showed up less than 5 minutes late. Who knows if he had been on time or even later, what would’ve happened with this song?”

“First Contact” is the first single from the 11-track album which speaks to the heart and the head of the listener through its collection of love songs and sees the band find their bearings as they tap into the challenges of everyday life - regardless of the difficulties faced. Psychology was recorded at Nuthouse Recording in New Jersey with John performing guitar, bass, and vocals, accompanied by drummer Dave Richman, produced by Tom Beaujour (Nada Surf, The Juliana Hatfield Three), and engineered by Tim Foljahn (Townes Van Zandt, Sonic Youth).

As the vision of vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer John Atkinson, Psychology crafts cerebral rock uplifted by shoegaze fuzz, waves of distortion, and provocative and poignant vocal musings. While earning his masters degree in Educational Psychology at Temple University, John was inspired after learning the positive effects music can have on the brain — including fending off Alzheimer's and early dementia — and soon decided to tune up his guitar skills and make music of his own. Now, John hopes to share the affirmative power of music with the rest of the world.

There’s much more to come from Psychology in the coming weeks, so stay tuned! 

Photo Credit: Justin Borucki