Kat Nijmeddin
Drug Church Premiere New Song “Strong References“
via NME
New Full-Length Cheer Due Out 11/02
on Pure Noise Records
Preorders Available Now
UK Tour Starts This Week
Announce US Fall Tour w/ Gouge Away
Punk rock agitators Drug Church have teamed with NME to share the song “Strong References” from their upcoming third full-length, Cheer, due out November 2nd on Pure Noise Records. “Strong References” is a perfect example of how the band have amplified their seemingly contradictory strengths to somehow make Cheer their most accessible work to date. The track opens with a subdued guitar line that explodes into a truly massive riff that’s as catchy as it is pummeling, while frontman Patrick Kindlon (also of Self Defense Family) contorts his signature bark into some of the most unabashed hooks of the band’s entire catalog. In true Drug Church fashion, the lyrics on “Strong References” somehow refer to Kindlon’s personal experience with nude modeling, a Madonna ex, and the pitfalls of self-delusion, all while achieving a balance between sarcastic bite and strange poignancy.
Drug Church are a glorious contradiction. They are an undeniably aggressive band that writes hooks you can’t stop humming: too poppy for the heavy crowd, too heavy for the poppy crowd. Their frontman is a singer who rarely sings and delivers lyrics that revel in the darkest corners of the human condition, but are just as likely to make you laugh as they are to make you flinch. They loudly shout the uncomfortable truths we prefer to ignore but somehow make us want to shout along with them; they make serious music but don’t take themselves too seriously; they are completely adverse to planning but have accidentally built a loyal cult following. On Cheer, the band has doubled down on their Drug Church-iest impulses and emerged with an album that’s sure to please longtime fans and turn new heads. If there’s anything intentional about Drug Church, it’s knowing the value of being unintentional.
Drug Church‘s UK tour with Boston Manor, Microwave, and Wallflower starts on Friday. The band have also announced a full US tour for the Fall with Gouge Away, Heart Attack Man, and Seattle’s New Gods. See full itinerary below.
Cheer track list:
1. Grubby
2. Strong References
3. Avoidarama
4. Dollar Story
5. Unlicensed Guidance Counselor
6. Weed Pin
7. Unlicensed Hall Monitor
8. Foam Pit
9. Conflict Minded
10. Tillary
Tour Dates:
09/22 London, UK @ Electric Ballroom #
09/23 Birmingham, UK @ Mama Roux’s #
09/24 Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms #
09/25 Stoke On Trent, UK @ Exchange
09/26 Liverpool, UK @ Hangar34 #
09/27 Glasgow, UK @ SWG3 #
09/28 Leeds, UK @ The Key Club #
09/29 Manchester, UK @ Manchester Gorilla #
11/09 Scottsdale, AZ @ Pub Rock Live *
11/10 Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction *
11/11 Berkeley, CA @ 924 Gilman *
11/13 Seattle, WA @ Vera Project *
11/14 Portland, OR @ Black Water *
11/16 Denver, CO @ Hi Dive *
11/18 Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge *
11/19 Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s *
11/20 Pontiac, MI @ Pike Room *
11/26 West Haven, CT @ The Cave ^
11/27 Boston, MA @ Great Scott ^
11/28 Brooklyn, NY @ Alphaville ^
11/29 Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie ^
11/30 Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter ^
12/01 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 ^
12/02 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade ^
12/03 Gainesville, FL @ Loosey’s ^
12/04 Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub ^
12/06 Dallas, TX @ Three Links %
12/07 Austin, TX @ Mohawk Inside %
# w/ Boston Manor, Microwave, Wallflower
* w/ Gouge Away, Heart Attack Man
^ w/ Gouge Away, Seattle’s New Gods
% w/ Seattle’s New Gods
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