Since 2015, Athens’ Dead Neighbors have been regaling us with their wonderfully twisted take on indie rock, churning out infectious basement jams that borrow as much from Pavement’s relentlessly catchy slacker rock as they do the surfy, lo-fi punk vibes of bands like Wavves and Bass Drum of Death. With their sophomore LP “Less” (yes, the quotes are intentional) just around the corner, the group is preparing to unveil the next phase in their development, and today we’re happy to bring you the premiere of new single and video “Drown 2.”
Opening with a stumbling, punch-drunk groove, the song quickly upshifts into a frenetic verse full of taut rhythms and nervous energy. While Dead Neighbors have never been a truly confessional band, writing songs built on intimacy or geared toward personal revelations, there’s something about “Drown 2” that feels earnest and confidential, like a secret shared in a rare moment of clarity. The track retains the urgency and velocity of the group’s previous material, but the approach is less raw, the songwriting more direct and confident.
Directed by Vann Johnson, the video travels a similar path, trading in visuals that are more lyrical and poetic than perhaps what we’ve come to expect from the group. This is not necessarily to suggest the band has “matured” or grown beyond their DIY house show roots— “Drown 2” is charged, after all, with barreling guitars and honest enthusiasm—but there’s definitely a sense of expanded vision here, of a band willing to look beyond their immediate surroundings and circumstances and search for something deeper.
Watch/listen above.
“Less” is out Mar. 3.
More Info
Bandcamp: deadneighbors.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @DeadNeighbors
Instagram: @dead_neighbors
Twitter: @deadneighbors23