California punk outfit, The Last Gang, is back with a vengeance. Their third studio album, Obscene Daydreams (due September 20th and available for pre-order), is a potent concoction of sharply written, hard-hitting punk anthems. The band, fronted by the ever-outspoken Brenna Red (vocals, guitar), is known for its infectious melodies and raw energy. Obscene Daydreams promises to deliver more of the same, tackling themes of anger, defiance, love, and self-belief.
The record’s lead single, “Madness,” is a full-blown love song, showcasing a different side of The Last Gang. You can hear “Madness” now on all streaming platforms, along with a brand-new music video premiering on our YouTube channel. Catch them live this weekend when they open for NOFX, and get ready for their massive U.S. tour this August. Want to know what sparked “Madness”? The Last Gang shares their inspiration:
“Madness” is different than anything we’ve released. It’s a ‘90s-esque grungy sort of rocker and the only love song TLG has ever written. It was the second to last demo we introduced during the writing process, and it immediately felt like it was going somewhere. Of course, we had not thought of it being the first single for the album at that time. Simple but catchy, this story of hysterical-lunatic love is a good representation of the diversity of songs on the new record.
“We don’t really have a theme,” says Brenna Red, singer-guitarist of The Last Gang. “We’re just a bunch of punk rockers who like to make music and write about things that make us feel good and angry and alive.”
“Good, angry, and alive” well captures The Last Gang as they release their third full-length, Obscene Daydreams (Fat Wreck Chords, September 20). With 11 tracks of sharply composed, no-punches-pulled punk, the album finds the Orange County quartet—rounded out by bassist Sean Viele, guitarist Ken Aquino, and drummer Sam Mankinen—in top form and ready to explode.
Recorded once again with producer Cameron Webb (Pennywise, Alkaline Trio, NOFX), Obscene Daydreams is the result of a new, more intentional writing process.
“We’re not the kind of band that pumps out songs super quickly,” Red says. “We make sure everything has been thought of and try to stretch out the melodies to something we haven’t heard before. This was the first time we ever did something like that on a deadline.
“I think we got it done, written, and recorded in less than a year, which is super-fast for us,” she continues. “Cameron is always like, ‘You should do one album a year—the Beatles did it!’ I’m like, ‘I’m not the goddamn Beatles!’”
Or NOFX, for that matter. Unlike on 2021’s Noise Noise Noise, Red didn’t workshop the songs with Fat Mike, whose band obligations kept him busy.
“I was a little nervous, just because I know last time Mike really wanted to have some input,” Red says. “So, I’m like, ‘God, I hope Dad approves.’”
“Dad” did approve, and Obscene Daydreams delivers The Last Gang’s signature mix of melodic hooks and raw feelings. While outrage and defiance figure prominently in those feelings—check the fury of “NRA Back 2 School” and “Hide the Antagonist,” or the class cannibalism of “Dogmatic Capitalizer”—love and pride figure just as prominently.
Opener “Electric Avenue” is an ode to ride-or-die friendship, and “Madness” is a full-on love song (or as close to one as a “nihilistic optimist” like Red can deliver). “Berlin to Rome” celebrates life on the road, and “Rumors” finds Red flexing her bad-bitch self-confidence. An interaction with a bigoted fan inspired “The Others,” forcing Red to make clear The Last Gang’s LGBTQIA+ allyship—and sneak in a Star Trek reference.
“It’s called IDIC, Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations,” she says. “It’s like the mantra of the Vulcan people, but I always love that phrase. Everything is possible out there—every gender, love, belief, thought, reality.”
The authenticity of The Last Gang’s music lies in those lived experiences, whether they’re nerdy Star Trek allusions or the “if you know, you know” details populating “Electric Avenue.” Each Last Gang album is a journal of sorts.
“I’m going to predict this,” Red says. “Every album we write from here on out will be about what’s happening at that current moment in our lives. So, it’s a reflection of whatever happened to us for the past two, three years or so—and sometimes it’s the same shit, different day.”
Even when that’s the case, The Last Gang will find something worthwhile to say.
- 18 Jul 2024 in Tempe, AZ @ Yucca Tap Room
- 20 Jul 2024 in Denver, CO @ NOFX Final Show (Punk In Drublic)
- 21 Jul 2024 in Salt Lake City, UT @ Aces High Saloon
- 15 Aug 2024 in Reno, NV @ Cellar Stage
- 16 Aug 2024 in Boise, ID @ The Shreddar
- 17 Aug 2024 in Seattle, WA @ Clockout Lounge
- 18 Aug 2024 in Portland, OR @ The Twilight
- 19 Aug 2024 in Eugene, OR @ John Henrys
- 20 Aug 2024 in Albany, CA @ Ivy Room
- 21 Aug 2024 in Sacramento, CA @ Cafe Colonial
- 22 Aug 2024 in Long Beach, CA @ Alex’s Bar
- 23 Aug 2024 in Las Vegas, NV @ The Usual Place
- 24 Aug 2024 in San Diego, CA @ Tower Bar
- 25 Aug 2024 in Santa Cruz, CA @ Catalyst Atrium
- 28 Aug 2024 in Chicago, IL @ Chop Shop
- 29 Aug 2024 in Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
- 30 Aug 2024 in Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo
- 31 Aug 2024 in Garwood, NJ @ Crossroads
- 2 Sep 2024 in Wilmington, DE @ Bar XIII
- 3 Sep 2024 in Virginia Beach, VA @ The Bunker
- 4 Sep 2024 in Wilmington, NC @ Reggie’s
- 5 Sep 2024 in Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
- 6 Sep 2024 in Nashville, TN @ The Vinyl Lounge
- 7 Sep 2024 in Chattanooga, TN @ JJ’s Bohemia
Thoughts Words Action 