Athens, Georgia band Blunt Bangs, recently shared their new single “Odessa,” the track is off their debut LP Proper Smoker, available September 17, 2021, via Ernest Jenning Record Co. The band’s U.S. tour begins on September 13, taking them through much of the East Coast and the Midwest before ending with release show on October 9, in Austin.

“‘Odessa’ is distinct to me in that it’s the last song I completed prior to the pandemic (I’ve not finished a song since, yikes) and it’s also the rare song where I don’t crack wise once,” the band’s Reggie Youngblood says. “It also feels like the intersection of a Blunt Bangs/Black Kids Venn diagram, in that it might be only thing you can dance to on our album.”

Burnt bangs is comprised of Reggie Youngblood (Black Kids) on guitar and vocals, Christian “Smokey” DeRoeck (Woods, Deep State, Meneguar, Little Gold) on guitar and vocals, and Cash Carter (Tracy Shedd, The Cadets) on drums. the album was recorded with and mixed by Drew Vandenberg (of Montreal, Drive-By Truckers, Toro Y Moi).

“Reggie and Christian both bring something different to the table as songwriters and how they approach music, but they complement each other perfectly,” says Vandenberg of making Proper Smoker. “Reggie is meticulous, Christian is instinctual. Then you throw in Cash’s enthusiasm and energy behind the kit and it makes something special.”

The record took shape as Carter assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer at Kindercore Vinyl, a record pressing plant in Athens he co-owns with Dan Geller and Ryan Lewis, the duo at the helm of legendary indie label Kindercore Records. Youngblood began working at the pressing plant in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving the band creative license to use the industrial space as a location to rehearse and safely film the music video for “Decide,” the record’s infectious lead single.

After nearly a decade of international touring with Black Kids (which included appearances at Coachella and Glastonbury) and sharing bills with Cut Copy, Kaiser Chiefs, and Kate Nash, Youngblood refocused his attention on making the Blunt Bangs LP his top priority.

“Like quite a lot of artists before me, after committing a significant amount of time to one project, I wanted to switch up my mode of songwriting and work on ideas that didn’t quite feel right in Black Kids,” says Youngblood.

“The first time I saw these guys I lost my shit,” says DeRoeck. “No one I knew was doing that kind of Teenage Fanclub-meets-Matthew Sweet-style power pop. I was already playing in a couple other bands at the time, but when the opportunity to join the Bangs came up, I absolutely had to be part of it.”

Blunt Bangs
Proper Smoker
Ernest Jenning Record Co
Track List

1. She’s Gone
2. Decide
3. Silence
4. Sick Moves
5. Eau Caroline
6. Speed Reader
7. Odessa
8. Tom Ford
9. Moshi Moshi
10. Hot Potato

Blunt Bangs
Tour Dates

September 13 – Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle
September 14 – Columbia, SC @ Curiosity Coffee
September 16 – Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong
September 17 – Philadelphia, PA @ Ortlieb’s
September 20 – Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
September 21 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kingsland
September 22 – Louisville, KY @ Flamingo Lounge
September 23 – Davenport, IA @ Raccoon Motel
September 24 – Chicago, IL @ Dreamhouse/Luna’s Spot
September 25 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House
October 4 – Atlanta, GA @ 529
October 8 – Jacksonville, FL @ Rain Dogs
October 9 – Athens, GA @ Flicker