Dead Betties break down every track on their new EP 'Whitey'!

Today marks the release of the new EP Whitey by queer punk rock band The Dead Betties. The EP was self-produced by the band. It features five powerful tracks that find them tearing into romanticized violence and white supremacy, talking about surviving sexual violence, reclaiming their energy, and paying tribute to Liz Phair. Speaking about the EP, lead singer and bassist Joshua Ackley said,

”I’m really proud of what we've managed to pull off in our career—and now we're sitting back and looking at what's happening in the world and realizing that, not only is it really time for us to do what we set out to do, but it's our responsibility, because we're the adults now. It's on us as a society to do better and actually put out the art that we want to hear, instead of sitting back and complaining about not hearing it.”

We caught up with Joshua Ackley to hear what went into each of the tracks that make up Whitey. Whitey is available everywhere now via Rotten Princess Records. Listen to the EP and read the track-by-track breakdown below!

Hidden Cabins: “Anxiety Hides”

We are thrilled to bring to you a Punknews Exclusive video premiere for New Jersey/North Carolina based alt-folk rock group Hidden Cabins. The single is called "Anxiety Hides" and is one of four new tracks from the band along with four other songs that will be available on their new 12-inch record titled Two Sides, Two Stories. The album comprises of one side of new material and the other side is tracks from a previous EP titled The Hidden Cabins Band. This collective release is a collaboration between Creep Records/Cobra Cafe, Hidden Tracks Records and Engineer Records. The album is out today digitally and pressed on vinyl, you can click here to grab a copy from Creep Records (US) or here to grab a copy from Engineer Records (UK/EU).

Listen to the new live EP by first president of japan and read a track-by-track breakdown!

Today, we are super stoked to bring you the premiere of the new live record by Brooklyn-based punk band first president of japan! The EP is called You Can’t Have Your first president of japan and Eat It Too. It features 16 rocking live tracks that were recorded during lead vocalist Non Kuramoto’s 30th birthday show at Rabbit Hole in Brooklyn and perfectly capture the joyful, vigorous energy of a first president of japan show. Following an intro, there are 8 live versions of songs from their 2024 debut EP The Most Important Meal of the Day is first president of japan along with previously unreleased material, which the band will be recording soon for their upcoming full-length album, and 6 “Talky-Talk” tracks that highlight Non’s awesome stage banter. The EP was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Cole Makuch. Speaking about the EP, Non said,

"I have to shout out Cole Makuch, the live recording and mixing/mastering engineer who was the true artist behind this EP. I’d been fixated on doing a banger of a birthday show for my 30th. Just as we’d secured a date and venue, Cole emailed us: “…still thinking about how crazy your set was.” “…would love to collaborate…” “love working on live-tracked material.” 

In my ignorance of music recording tech language, I figured it meant he loves to record live shows. So of course “LET’S RECORD THIS BIRTHDAY SHOW!” was my response. I didn’t think I’d still be alive or performing, now I have this band that gives me reason for both, and I get to have this celebration captured in the form of a live EP? Sounds special, yes please!

As Cole described in his email, our live shows do tend to go rogue. Our songs are eclectic, we jump into the crowd, our guitarist Aki tends to sprint away leaving just the sound of his shredding in the room. Show day at the Rabbit Hole, Cole showed up with so much equipment (!) and even on our best “we’re being recorded today” behavior, we were stepping on everything, unplugging cables, knocking things and ourselves over… and somehow (skill, talent, time, actually,) he made us sound so good, so cool. He recently admitted to me that he’d meant live-tracked material in a semi-controlled space in the initial email - like a DIY studio, not a DIY show. 

Whoops. 

But look (or, listen! I guess) we did it!!! 

This is all to say, this EP was born selfishly, as the best birthday present a guy could have ever asked for. I feel very lucky that first president of japan, the team at Rabbit Hole BK, Cole, and the crowd that night, whose cheers and laughter make this record sparkle, elevated it into something that I’m so proud to share with eeeeeeveryone. Thank you to all of y’all who have and will ever come out to see us play, and thank you to YOU for giving this EP a listen. I love you!! I am blowing kisses at you, wherever you are!!"

We also caught up with Non to hear about the stories behind each of the songs on that show's setlist. You Can’t Have Your first president of japan and Eat It Too will be out everywhere on November 22 and you can pre-order a copy right here. Listen to the EP and read Non’s track-by-track breakdown below!

SHY FRiEND: “Never Been a Sinner”

Calgary-based indie rockers SHY FRiEND have released a video for their song “Never Been a Sinner”. The video was directed by OBSINEMA and was shot in Mohkinstsis. The song is off their EP SNAGGLETOOTH which was released last month. Check out the video below.