Nashville by-way-of Boston DIY punk scene band Twen release their massive debut single today, alongside the announcements of signing to Frenchkiss and a support tour with White Reaper. The hard-hitting "Waste" - which showcases the band's captivating balance between lightness and darkness, where catchy punk and dream pop seamlessly blends with heavy psych-rock undertones - is about fighting the relentless voices of self-doubt that play on loop in your head. Those doubts fall away as lead vocalist Jane Fitzsimmons shouts into the void: "I make you wanna be someone. I make you want to waste it, I make you wanna waste some time." Check out the song via Stereogum HERE.
Having released nothing more than a live EP from the band's debut performance in a Boston basement, Twen - lead by Fitzsimmons and guitarist Ian Jones - has been redefining what an essentially un-streamable band looks like in an increasingly digital world. The band has been on the road non-stop touring for the past two years, perfecting a raw and mesmerizing live show - a feat few bands can muster without a proper release. With DIY at the core of the band's ethos, the two Twenmasterminds have run Airbnbs while touring, played in exchange for skydiving, screen printed self-designed merch items by hand, and booked their own tours. With touring now defining how a rock band can earn keep in 2019, Twen has no problem traveling back in time to pen their debut studio full-length, which will be announced and released later this year.
Though unabashedly indie rock, Twen's songs genre-bend from shoe-gaze-sized walls of sound to Beatle-esque call-and-response vocal harmonies. While Jones' delicate finger-picking patterns ring through fuzz and distortion, combining folk roots with in-your-face rock; Fitzsimmons' voice weaves through guitar lines with Cocteau Twin's inspired flair, giving breath of ethereal mysticism to any club show. The often fragmented and stream-of-consciousness lyrics are intensified by countless infectious melodies that are as timeless as they are simple.
Stay tuned for more news from Twen, including further details on their TBA debut album: https://www.twenband.com
Tour dates
6/13: Toledo, OH - Ottawa Tavern*
6/14: Lansing, MI - The Loft*
6/15: Lakewood, OH - Mahall's*
6/16: Buffalo, NY - Rec Room*
6/18: Lancaster, PA - The Kaleidoscope*
6/19: Asbury Park, NJ - The Wonder Bar*
6/21: Amityville, NY - Amityville Music Hall*
6/23: Baltimore, MD - Ottobar*
6/25: Raleigh, NC - Kings*
6/26: Asheville, NC - The Mothlight*
6/29: Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall*
* with White Reaper
photo courtesy of the artist
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