Cute term of endearment or low key acronym for Break Up Band — why choose? Bub is the fuzz-rock / new wave / doo-wop project led by Priya Sami (Trip Pony, Dateline, The Sami Sisters), finally gifting us Bub’s full length studio debut Can’t Even following a ripper run of super catchy and emotionally devastating singles (plus consistently excellent music videos). Earlier singles ‚King of Wands‘, ‚Phase 2‘ and ‚New Amsterdam‘ sound fabulous smooshed up front of the record and there’s zero fall-off on the brand new tunes, peppered with SRN favourites ‚Dreams‘ and ‚Jeez Louise‘.
Sami’s knock your socks off vocals and infectious musical energy Trojan Horse some of the most refreshingly frank, unsparing lyrics you’re likely to hear anytime soon. ‚Girl‘ is a post-Snapper freak out / meltdown, ‚Another Girl‘ is a synth-squelching bitch-slap aimed at scheming fakers, ‚Rain on my Parade‘ posits a lonesome life ahead, and closer ‚Bored‘ is a soul-pop plea for honesty. Like an island of hope in a sea of turmoil (kind of), ‚Mrs Julian Casablancas‘ is a horn-tooting sonic fantasia where teenage dreams become reality.
‚King of Wands‘ and ‚Dreams‘ are still two of my personal favourite local "indie-rock" singles of the past few years, smashing down clichés to spotlight Sami’s interior life — consulting the Tarot deck for relationship advice and striving to accept the painful reality: hey nobody’s perfect. Featuring bandmates Daniel Barrett, David Harris and Joe Kaptein, go see Bub at Urbanaut’s 8th Birthday on 17th May (full disclosure: I’m playing too) and with Tom Lark at Whammy Bar on 21st May. Order the vinyl LP edition HERE, and cast your eyes on photographer Petra Jane‚s snap’s from last night’s release gig at Neck Of The Woods with She’s So Rad below…
Guardian Singles, Bub And Power Nap – Urbanaut’s 8th Birthday
Saturday 17th May – Whammy Bar, Auckland
Tickets on sale HERE via UTR
Under The Arcade Presents – Tom Lark And Bub!
Wednesday 21st May – Whammy Bar, Auckland
Tickets on sale HERE via UTR
‚Can’t Even‘ is out today on major streaming platforms.
