Connecticut’s favourite punks, Anxious, recently announced their sophomore album, ‘Bambi‘, due out February 21st via Run For Cover Records & Civilians, and they’re back with the record’s gigantic second single, Head & Spine.
Bambi follows Anxious’ acclaimed 2022 full-length, ‘Little Green House‘, and finds the band fully embracing the widescreen alternative rock songwriting they’ve always hinted at. It’s a record of growth and depth that’s sonically ambitious while further amplifying the seamless combination of hardcore grit and classic emo dynamism that’s made them such a beloved young band.
The record’s lead single Counting Sheep drew praise from the likes of Stereogum, BrooklynVegan, Uproxx, Alt Press, and more, and now Head & Spine provides another taste of Anxious’ musical level-up. The mid-album standout opens with the combination of powerhouse guitars and shimmering textures that defines Bambi’s sonic world, and quickly arrives at the kind of sky-high chorus that the band truly excel at. It’s another example of Bambi’s maximalist direction and influences—everything from Jimmy Eat World and Third Eye Blind, to The Smashing Pumpkins and even The Beach Boys—while sounding definitively like Anxious.
Vocalist Grady Allen discussed the new song, saying: “‘Head & Spine’ is probably one of my favorite songs on the whole record. The whole song came together over months just riff by riff. It felt kind of unclear exactly where the song was going to land. There’s all of these sort of disjointed pieces, we were trying to pull from Blink 182’s Untitled, some Smashing Pumpkins–even the bridge is this dramatic thing we wouldn’t typically do. All together I think it really works though.
Lyrically the song focuses on being unable to separate myself from the words of people who have no interest in anything but being unkind and cruel. Existing in subculture there’s this weird sort of passive acceptance (and even green lighting) towards people who just seem to want to inflict pain. And what’s worse, it feels like no one can just be real about it. It’s always dressed up as ‘well they’re just being witty’ or ‘it’s just their opinion.’ But that’s just an easy, lazy out. Anytime I see someone being weird and vindictive on the internet towards a person, a band, a ANYONE, I’m just struck with the feeling of ‘wow, you don’t even know this person or these people and you’re just totally comfortable ripping them apart? You’re cool with making fun of them?.’ It’s just lowest common denominator bad weird behavior. But at the same time I’m the one getting bothered. I’m the one getting upset. So I guess I bought it. They got what they want. So maybe I’m no better for engaging with it. My arguments probably imperfect, but that’s what I was trying to get at when writing this song.”
Anxious’ debut album ‘Little Green House‘ drew praise from fans and critics alike (including Pitchfork, Stereogum, The FADER, Paste Magazine, BrooklynVegan, and many more), and the band followed it up with three fantastic singles Where You Been, Sunsign, and Down, Down which pushed their sound forward. Now ‘Bambi’ picks up where those songs left off and skyrockets Anxious’ songwriting to even greater heights. Produced, engineered, and mixed by Brett Romnes (The Movielife, Front Bottoms, Oso Oso) at The Barber Shop Studios, it’s a record of meticulously arranged, ultra-dynamic music that’s perfectly tailored to pack a huge musical and emotional punch. ‘Bambi’ takes big swings, and song after song, it connects.
Lyrically, the record is a warts-and-all portrait of leaving your adolescence behind; the breakups, the burnouts, the inevitable challenges of ending adulthood—all of which are further complicated by trying to avoid the frustrating cliches of being in a quickly rising band and spending the better part of two years on tour. The result is a massive leap forward and an endlessly anthemic rock record. ‘Bambi’ is the sound of Anxious putting everything on the line and coming out on the other side better than ever.
Counting Sheep is out now and streaming everywhere. ‘Bambi’ the album will be available Friday February 21 via Run For Cover Records & Civilians, pre-orders live now.
