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Photo credit: JJ Stratford
Today, Los Angeles-based DIY rock band The Paranoyds announce their fall North American tour with support from Milly, Upchuck, Tchotchke, and Bad Waitress alongside a brand new single, "Single Origin Experience," out everywhere now, along with a lyric video. Get tickets now here and stay tuned for the band's highly anticipated sophomore LP, Talk Talk Talk due out September 9 and available for pre-order now, via Third Man Records.
Before the official fall tour kicks off, The Paranoyds will support Jack White for three dates this September including Asheville, NC, New Orleans, LA and Shreveport, LA. The fall tour officially begins on October 13 in Santa Ana, CA and moves through the South, Midwest, plus a date in Toronto, ON before concluding in their home city of Los Angeles on November 12. Find a full list of dates below, and grab tickets via linktr.ee/theparanoyds.
On "Single Origin Experience" The Paranoyds reckon with both America's shameful history and current shady antics by the government and top corporations. The track opens with fuzzy, layered vocals that sing, "Nihilism bobbleheads, misogynists but working on it / American means shaking hands and stealing land / Modern horror is unmotivated / Moving through the days unabated." "Single Origin Experience" exemplifies the band's effortless blend of eccentric societal commentary with sincerity over grainy guitar and a magnetic hook that remains in one's head long after the song is over.
The track pokes fun at society's plunge into a hyper-surveilled, hyper-marketed, and profit-driven circus. Explaining the meaning behind the song, guitarist and vocalist Lexi Funston says, "Sometimes an event happens or a news report comes out or whatever and you're just so bummed about what it means to be American. It can be so exhaustingly cringey. Companies spying on us and "green-washing" their products in hopes of selling as a “pure” life, a branded experience. what the fuck right? Does single origin coffee really taste any better???"
Today's release follows the previously shared gritty, lo-fi punk track "Lizzie" and its retro, 80's-inspired video where the four-piece is seen rocking aluminum foil hats and dancing robotically, straight out of the Terminator. RIFF Magazine calls the track, "The futuristic punk you didn’t know you’d been waiting for," and GrimyGoods wrote, "Over skittering electric riffs and spacey punk...'Lizzie' is cosmically fuzzy as it [heralds] its groovy eclecticism."
Talk Talk Talk, the forthcoming sentimental, sci-fi-infused sophomore album from The Paranoyds gives the band space to expand, evolve and above all, have fun. Over 11 tracks, the band experiments with sounds that span an eclectic array of genres–from jazz, to lo-fi punk-rock, to groovy R&B–that melt together showcasing the innovative range of the rising rockers.
The Paranoyds are Southern California DIY rock royalty, unafraid and unapologetically in perpetual pursuit of a good time. Fueled by the fiery energy of their live shows paired with raw lyricism and subtle societal commentary, The Paranoyds are ready to take their artistry to new heights. The close-knit four-piece is made up of Laila Hashemi (keyboardist-vocals), Lexi Funston (guitars/vocals), Staz Lindes (bass/vocals) and David Ruiz (drums, vocals) who together masterfully blend light-hearted playfulness with sharp sincerity over fuzzy guitar, dreamy vocals and punchy, punky rock-n-roll.
The band has caught the attention of several leading tastemakers as they continue to build on their fervent fanbase. LADYGUNN, called their music "upbeat" yet "ominous" and added the band is "edgy and cute all at once and their music reflects that youthful energy that you wish you could bottle." Surviving The Golden Age wrote, "...["Girlfriend Degree’s"] fuzzy guitars are reminiscent of bands like the Kinks or more modernly The Hives. Although the track is fairly mid-tempo, it still sounds urgent; it is a sign of a band who knows how to make anthems," and that "Carnage Bargain is a huge triumph for The Paranoyds" Of their debut LP, Carnage Bargain, Bandcamp lauded, "The production...is superb, highlighting the dreamy vocals."
Experience The Paranoyds live this fall across the U.S. where they will join Jack White for three dates, then embark on their own headline dates with support from Milly, Upchuck, Tchotchke, and Bad Waitress. Get tickets now here and see a full list of dates below. This Saturday, July 30, The Paranoyds will take the stage at The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa, CA to kick off the U.S. Open of Surfing. Get tickets and information here.
"Single Origin Experience" -- out everywhere now, along with a lyric video -- allows The Paranoyds to playfully observe the absurd current profit-driven reality and deeply flawed American ideals. Talk Talk Talk, the expansive sophomore album from the four-piece is due out September 9 via Third Man Records and is available for pre-order now. See the band support Jack White this September ahead of their fall tour across North America with tickets available now here. Connect with The Paranoyds on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook to keep up with the rising rockers.
WATCH: "Lizzie" (Official Music Video)
The Paranoyds Tour
Fall 2022
Jul. 30 - Costa Mesa, CA - U.S. Open of Surfing @ The Wayfarer
Sept. 16 - Asheville, NC - Rabbit Rabbit*
Sept. 23 - New Orleans, LA - The Fillmore*
Sept. 25 - Shreveport, LA - Shreveport Municipal Auditorium*
Oct.13 - Santa Ana, CA - Constellation Room #
Oct. 14 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah #
Oct. 15 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar # (Milly only)
Oct. 18 - Austin, TX - The Ballroom ^
Oct. 19 - Dallas, TX - CheapSteaks ^
Oct. 21 - Nashville, TN - Third Man Records ^
Oct. 22 - Atlanta, GA - 529 ^
Oct. 23 - Durham, NC - The Pinhook ^
Oct. 25 - Washington, DC - Songbyrd &
Oct. 26 - Philadelphia, PA - PhilaMOCA &
Oct. 28 - Brooklyn, NY - Market Hotel & (+ 95 Bulls)
Oct. 29 - Boston, MA - Cafe 939 &
Oct. 31 - Toronto, ON - Monarch Tavern ^
Nov. 2 - Detroit, MI - Third Man Records ^
Nov. 3 - Chicago, IL - Schubas ^ (+ Bad Waitress)
Nov. 4 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry ^ (+ Bad Waitress)
Nov. 8 - Seattle, WA - Barboza
Nov. 9 - Portland, OR - Polaris Hall
Nov. 11 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
Nov. 12 - Los Angeles, CA - Lodge Room
* Dates supporting Jack White
# Dates with Milly and Mo Dotti
& Dates with Tchotchke
^ Dates with Upchuck
Talk Talk Talk (LP) Tracklisting:
01. BWP
02. Lizzie
03. Nissan Overdrive
04. Typing
05. Single Origin Experience
06. Freak Out
07. Andrew
08. Over and Done
09. 6th Street Bridge
10. LA 2032
11. Sunburn
Photo credit: Derek Perlma
The Paranoyds Bio:
The Paranoyds have the kind of connection people only dream of: as non-biological sisters who have known each other longer than they haven't and speak a language that no one else can understand.
With a bond that began in preschool, Laila Hashemi (keys/vocals) and Lexi Funston (guitar/vocals) were always inseparable, so when they met Staz Lindes (bass/vocals) in ninth grade, it felt like they had known her all along. After all, they were a “package deal.” In high school, they began making music together in a friend’s laundry room and their relationship just blossomed from there. When it came time to add in a drummer, David Ruiz, who joined the band in 2015, fit in like he had been there all along. It's that special bond that has solidified their relationship as bandmates who connect seamlessly to one another’s energy on stage—and best friends. And it's the one thing that has remained a constant throughout the past two years.
Like so many others, the pandemic brought about unexpected change for The Paranoyds—both good and bad. Before the pandemic, the Los Angeles-based group was invited to perform at a Third Man Records showcase at SXSW. The opportunity ultimately led to the group signing to the label in 2021.
The band's forthcoming release and first on Third Man, Talk Talk Talk, is rooted in the life-altering transformation they experienced since 2020. The process began back in April 2020 when they drove to San Francisco to record seven demos from the album at John Vanderslice’s Tiny Telephone Studios. There, the band’s unbreakable friendship was tested once again as they ended up crashing at the studio for a week with no air conditioning or showers.
The time and space they were able to take (in and out of that studio) allowed them to grow and find confidence in experimentation. “You can tell the intention and the delivery is just a little bit more matured,” says Staz. While the foundational elements that have always been at the core of the band’s music—like tongue-in-cheek lyrics—remain, the band felt much more comfortable toying with experimental sounds, like sampling, setting up multi-layered drum tracks, and including tons of vintage synthesizers, for instance. It helped that the band enlisted Froth bandleader JooJoo Ashworth (Automatic, SASAMI, Dummy) as producer to re-record the tracks they initially demoed at Tiny Telephone. “He understood our band and the intention behind all of these songs--it was really just good vibes from start to finish,” says Laila.
Their singular sound and ability to surprise listeners is something that has driven Talk Talk Talk. You’ll be hard-pressed to find two songs that sound alike. Considering each of the band’s four members are drawn to everything—groovier R&B, lo-fi punk, fun, fuzz-pop and jazz—they’re able to create a bold collage throughout their music.
Talk Talk Talk is largely a combination of sci-fi and sentimental songs penned by the group. Lead single “Lizzie” has a robotic nature that evokes Devo and Industrial Hammer Factory with the warmth of lo-fi punk vocals. The group takes jabs at the absurdity of the current reality and the “5G” future. “LA 2032” is a futuristic guitar-pop that pulls the group’s candy-coated vocals into focus. The band pivots from looking ahead to nostalgia on “Sunburn”—an oldie but goodie that pays homage to the high-energy, carefree music scene of their beginnings.
But there are more intimate moments nestled in the record, too. On “Typing,” Staz wistfully reflects on losing two dear friends to overdoses within a two-year span. “It's like reminiscing on the times with them and how intense it is when you find out someone you care about passes away,” she explains. “You can just feel that their name is in the air everywhere, and you just want to be able to talk to them.” The spacey, stripped-back “Over and Done” details the headspace of experiencing low self-esteem and the downward spiral it can inevitably create.
But regardless of the subject matter, there’s catharsis in the way the band loses themselves in their songs. Opener “BWP,” for instance, feels like a fuzz-filled jam session flanked by warbled vocals. But it happens to highlight the band’s advanced musicianship. That exuberant, freewheeling spirit is channeled on the sticky emo jaunt “6th Street Bridge,” where Laila sweetly teases, “I don’t listen to music anymore.” The epicenter of the record, however, is “Freak Out,” which helped inspire the album title. A sisterly homage full of Shangri-Las-like call-and-responses, the track is—in a way_a love letter to their bond. With Talk Talk Talk, The Paranoyds prove their connection is unbreakable—and their secret language is for life.
(Ilana Kaplan)
