Scowl

Scowl has quickly made a name for themselves as one of the most vivid and hard-workingacts in the rock world. Since the release of their debut album, How Flowers Grow in late2021, the band has become a powerful force to be reckoned with. Lauded for its reality-driven, aggressive blend of hardcore-punk, the critically-acclaimed album opened up newdoors for the band, including a non-stop touring schedule. As new music began to take shape,it was no surprise that experiencing most of their lives on the roadwould greatly influence thenext phase of Scowl.Enter Psychic Dance Routine.Since forming in 2019, the band has consistently eschewed being pigeon-holed, moving farbeyond the confines of what a typical “hardcore” band is considered. Floral motifs lace theirartwork and merchandise, they’ve notably toured with diverse acts like Limp Bizkit andDestroy Boys, and one of the most talked about tracks on How Flowers Grow was a melodicnumber with a saxophone solo. On Psychic Dance Routine, Scowl continue topush theboundaries of their sound and artistic presence, now laying somewhere between hardcore andalternative. As the band puts it, “it’s like Negative Approach meets The Breeders.”In September 2022, the Santa Cruz, California band traveled to Pennsylvania to secludethemselves in the studio for a week, recording with Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip atStudio 4. Working with Yip was a completely collaborative experience as he not only broughtlife to these songs, but greatly encouraged Kat Moss as she worked on her elevated vocalstyle found across the record. The highlights and challenges of performing, whether in thestudio, on tour, or in the act that is life, became a recurring notion on the five track EP.As Moss states; “I chose to revolve themain theme around performance. This is both literaland figurative, as the band has been on tour practically all of 2022. My perspective of beingconsumed as the version of myself that is ‘performing’ has shifted dramatically, whilesimultaneously grappling with the experience of being a feminine artist in a world that doesn’talways take you seriously.”Lead single “Opening Night” sets the stage marrying edgy melodies with dynamic riffs.Stylistically, Scowl evokes the same feeling as first hearing bandslike Sonic Youth and TheStrokes, making sounding cool seem almost effortless. “Shot Down” encompasses the battleof fear versus confidence in both lyrical and sonic form, as the band teeters between circle-pitready moments and sugary hooks. The most vulnerable and pivotal moment of the EP comesin the title track “Psychic Dance Routine.” Moss and the band emphasize their capability ofwriting a striking indie-alternative song filled with breathy vocals, lush melodies, and afundamental introspective forthe entire release.“The best way I can define Psychic Dance Routine is that it represents the mental gymnasticsor ‘dance routine’ one might have to participate in order to telepathically project their feelingsor emotions to another person because they no longer have the ability to express themselveswith words” comments Moss on where the title derives. She concludes, “The overarchingtheme of this EP lies heavily in the definition of the name—I wanted to lyrically expressfeelings of alienation and loneliness as well as questioning my own reality. I made an effort tospeak more with metaphors as I wanted these topics to be relevant to other people.”On Psychic Dance Routine Scowl has exemplified their ethos of being true to themselvesthrough creating innovative song structures and personable lyrics. Their ability to be genrefluid intersects with their up for anything attitude, whether that means playing in a fast food drive-in parking lot or hitting the stage at Coachella. It’s all just part of theplan for the ever-evolving band that is Scowl.