Today, Friday, January 31st, 2025, marks the release of the 2024 physical edition of The Gits’ Frenching the Bully on CD and vinyl worldwide from Sub Pop. The reissue of the ferocious Seattle punk band’s debut features new album cover art and packaging by Sub Pop’s VP of Creative Jeff Kleinsmith and has been remastered by legendary producer Jack Endino.
Also today, King County Supervisor Dow Constantine proclaimed that Saturday, February 1st, 2025 shall be known for now and eternity as The Gits Day in King County, Washington!
Band members Matt Dresdner, Andy Kessler, and Steve Moriarity had this to say of the acknowledgment: “We’re beyond honored (and a little freaked out) by King County’s proclamation that January 31st is The Gits Day! And we’re delighted that all County employees are getting a much-deserved day off to acknowledge the rerelease of our debut album, Frenching the Bully.”
In further celebration of Frenching the Bully’s release on Saturday, February 1st, there will be two free album release events – Seattle’s The Vera Project (All Ages; 4-6 pm, Doors 3:30) and at KEXP Gathering Space (21+; 8-10 pm, Doors 7pm) at the Seattle Center.
Both The Vera Project and KEXP Gathering Space will screen the world premiere of the new short film documentary, “The Gits Live at RKCNDY,” featuring unreleased footage of The Gits’ February 1993 performance originally filmed for the movie HYPE! - a documentary film by Doug Pray. There will also be a merch signing with The Gits bands members at both the early and late events.
The Vera Project will also have a special exhibition of paintings by Mia Zapata. Attendees are also encouraged to bring their items for a special Bring It! Screen It! Gits Edition! Featuring three new designs. At the 21+ and over event at the KEXP Gathering Space there will also be an unveiling of SubPop’s Gits Art Exhibition!
Full information for both events, including RSVP links, is below.
The Gits Seattle Record Release Parties
THE VERA PROJECT 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109 4p-6p (3:30pm doors) ALL AGES
Premiere of the short film “The Gits Live at RKCNDY” featuring never-before seen footage from Doug Pray’s documentary, “HYPE!” Exhibition of Paintings by Mia Zapata BRING IT! SCREEN IT! Live Silk Screening workshop Vinyl Signing & Merch Pop-Up RSVP
KEXP GATHERING SPACE 472 1st Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 8p-10p (7 pm doors) 21+
Screening of “The Gits Live at RKCNDY” Unveiling of SubPop’s Gits Art Exhibition Vinyl Signing & Merch Pop-Up
Frenching the Bully along with the rest of the Gits’ entire discography – Enter: The Conquering Chicken, Kings & Queens, and Seafish Louisville, and Live at The X-Ray – is also available digitally on all DSPs from Sub Pop.
J Mascis has released a digital cover of The Cure’s deep cut, “Breathe.” This single is available today on all DSDPs worldwide from Sub Pop. In a recent interview Mascis did for Uncut about The Cure, he shared: “Robert Smith’s guitars have a washy sort of sound that encompasses you, and his voice has a great pure tone. I related to the music. It made me feel “Oh yeah, this is where I’m at, this guy’s out there feeling the same thing, it comforted me.”
Mascis will embark on a 4 date solo tour, beginning with a SOLD OUT show on Feb. 08 at the Sinclair in Cambridge, with additional shows on Feb. 12th at Underground Arts in Philadelphia, Feb. 13th at Racket in NYC, and February 20th at Foro Indierocks in Mexico City.
“It all sounds so perfect with Mascis’ weary vocals and, just when you’re thinking this is a viable new direction for him, he lets a ragged solo rip to remind you who’s making this racket.” - Brooklyn Vegan
“A continually absorbing counterpoint to his work with Dinosaur Jr, J Mascis’ solo output finds the guitarist leaning towards his acoustic. Effects pedals are never far away, however, and he wails on this new release.” - CLASH
“Mascis sure knows the power of simple words… it’s an LP of insight and empathy, a hand on the shoulder that says: ‘Yeah, me too.’” - [4 out of 5] MOJO
“Mascis’ most fully formed and direct solo set to date.” - [8 out of 10] Uncut
“a record of beautifully put-together songs.” - The Quietus
“Not only is he capable of some truly soul-crushing, devastating lyrical turns of phrase, but the emotion both his voice and guitar exude is so primal and visceral that it brings those emotions fully to life.” -FLOOD
Today, Wednesday, January 29th, New York City-based musician/producer Yuno is sharing his self-directed official video for his new single, ”True,” a breezy new song that marries trap and dream pop, available today worldwide on all DSPs from Sub Pop.
Yuno, who also stars in the charming official video for “True,” offers this, “Essentially, it’s a visual representation of what a lovers-quarrel feels like for me. From feeling like a knight in shining armor fighting to win my love back to charming my way through it in front of a heart-strewn backdrop. Whatever it takes to be on good terms by Valentine’s Day.”
“True” was written and performed by Yuno, co-produced by Yuno and Frank Corr at Livingrooms Studios in Queens, NY, and Yuno’s House in Bushwick, NY, with additional production and instrumentation from Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn at Betty’s in Durham, NC, and Patrick Wimberly (Chairlift) at The CRC in Brooklyn, NY.
“True” is also the first new material from Yuno since the release of “Somebody,” his standalone single from 2021, and the 2018 EP, Moodie, which features his breakout single ”No Going Back.”
“True” will also be found on Yuno’s forthcoming full-length debut out later this year on Sub Pop.
Yuno will also appear at the 2025 NonCommvention in Philadelphia on Tuesday, May 6th, 2025.
What people have said about Yuno:
“… Hits that sweet spot between nostalgia and feeling fresh, the perfect combination for an indie earworm that ends up being a huge smash.” [“No Going Back”] Pigeons and Planes
“Bouncy and bright…” [“No Going Back”] Gorilla Vs. Bear.
“Drifting digital pop casting a bittersweet spell.” [“No Going Back”] CLASH
“An early entry into the race for song of the summer.” [“No Going Back”] NPR Music
“‘No Going Back” insists what we’re all thinking for the new pop wunderkind: Only forward.” [“Best New Track”] Pitchfork
“Yuno follows the footsteps of the psychedelic pop of the Beach Boys and the genre-warping arrangements of more recent acts like Animal Collective and Tame Impala…” BUST
“‘No Going Back’ is all big-beat pop sugar in the vain of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, with timeless, summery hooks that it’s not difficult to imagine being delivered by The Jackson 5.” [Moodie] Bandcamp Daily
“On “Somebody,” Yuno melds skittering pop and warped hip-hop with catchy-as-hell emo. The track revolves around his ultra-slick vocals, ringing out over flickering beats and uplifting guitar strums.” PASTE
“Emo-pop and mid-naughties trap are two other ingredients in the song’s heady recipe, and Yuno makes them all feel like natural partners.” [“Somebody”] The FADER
Tunde Adebimpe, the multi-hyphenate talent and critically acclaimed lead singer of the renowned band TV on the Radio, has announced his long awaited debut solo album. Thee Black Boltz will be released on April 18th via Sub Pop Records. The album is produced by Tunde Adebimpe & Wilder Zoby, and executive produced by Zoby, with additional production and contributions from Jaleel Bunton & Jahphet Landis (of TV on the Radio), and more. Showcasing his unique voice and visionary soundscapes, Thee Black Boltz is a nod to Adebimpe’s propensity to write and sing about the human condition – in all its forms, under all its stressors, both big and small. Thee Black Boltz is available for pre-order HERE.
Today, Adebimpe has shared the album’s vivid and introspective “Drop,” produced by Jahphet Landis. The song begins with beatboxing before its lyrics question: “ But will I feel it when I drop? / Restless hours / The ticking of a clock / On my life / And my life’s just a dot / On a timeline / And my soul / Is fading tonight.”
Thee Black Boltz is not a TV On The Radio album. But in a lot of ways, the excitement of doing something on his own for the first time ignited a similar spark in him as during the early TV On The Radio days. The songwriting process is the same, he says, but with his TVOTR bandmates, Adebimpe knows he doesn’t always have to complete his ideas. “I’ve been doing this thing with this group of people for so long, that I can just have a vague sketch of a concept and I know Jaleel or Kyp will have five brilliant ideas on where it can go,” he says. “But for Thee Black Boltz, I didn’t have that scaffolding to hang on. That was both terrifying and exhilarating.”
At the heart of the album is its title. It is his response to the macro unease of a post-pandemic world careening towards violent authoritarianism and the personal grief that has come from loss in recent years, specifically the sudden passing of his younger sister while making it. Thee Black Boltz is Adebimpe’s desperate grasping of small moments of joy amidst the dissonance and sadness, any way he can. Making this album, he says, was his way of processing everything: “It was my way of building a rock or a platform for myself in the middle of this fucking ocean.”
And thus, Thee Black Boltz. As he writes in his notebook, “The sparks of inspiration/motivation / hope that flash up in the midst of (and sometimes as a result of) deep grief, depression or despair. Sort of like electrons building up in storm clouds clashing until they fire off lightning and illuminate a way out, if only for a second.”
“Also,” he adds. “it’s a good name for a cool metal band, and I think that most people would describe me as akin to a very cool metal band.”
Sub Pop has teamed up with long-running Canadian punk icons Fucked Up for a 7” single featuring two brand new, exclusive songs. “Disabuse” and “Self Driving Man” are light-speed cuts of pure hardcore from Fucked Up. These tracks leap out of the speakers, bearing the indelible stamps of Pacific Northwest punk legends Poison Idea’s 1990 anti-oppression anthem “Discontent” and Japanese punk masters Paintbox’s “The Door.” Sitting at the chaotic crossroads of punk, hardcore, and grunge, the two songs are perfectly suited for a Sub Pop single, and there’s even a limited-edition alternate sleeve based on Poison Idea’s classic 1990 Sub Pop Singles Club 7”.
“Disabuse,” out now on all DSPs, is a song, Damian, the band’s singer, wrote for his daughter, who experienced bullying and intimidation. The B-side, “Self Driving Man,” wrestles the out-of-control automation of our world onto the pavement and into the abyss of faceless progress.
This 7” is now available for pre-order at megamart.subpop.com, Bandcamp, and all music retailers. The 7” is on emerald vinyl and includes a lyric sheet. Fans ordering directly from Sub Pop and the band can choose between the standard jacket or the limited alternate sleeve. Or they can - and should - order both!
