Point Break 2 Released Self-Titled EP On Naturally Records

Today, Point Break 2 is excited to release their self-titled debut EP on Naturally Records (order). The EP follows lead single “Hall Of Justice” along with an accompanying music video which Bandcamp praised by saying, “Is NYC rock music good again? This distorted, noisy, VU-indebted garage punk group make a strong case.”

Born of the endless bummer of 2024, Point Break 2 delivers a defiant slice of unmistakable New York City rock & roll—noisy but precise, savage yet tender, and often self-effacingly funny. Beneath winkingly “dumb” song structures and fuzzed-out sonics lies a sharp, soulful critique of these royally messed-up times.

Point Break 2 began as a side project for NYC DIY lifer Ted McGrath (These Are Powers, The Flag), conceived to keep his guitar chops limber between sessions for The Flag’s long-awaited second LP. Early sessions sparked unexpected chemistry, drawing contributions from Ryan Crozier (The Flag, Fletcher C Johnson Band), Jason Robira (Sunwatchers), Kris Liakos (Fixtures), and Billy Bouchard (Ice Balloons, Dancehall Crashers). What started as a casual diversion quickly became a full-fledged band with a debut EP on the way.

Lead single “Hall of Justice” rides a lurching, irresistible groove—Liakos’s bassline and Bouchard’s swung drumming underpin McGrath’s casually caustic vocals and Crozier’s blowtorch guitar, evoking a misbegotten grandchild of “Sister Ray.” Elsewhere, “Dracula 2” somehow bridges 2000s Nick Cave and Tusk-era Fleetwood Mac, while the distortion-drenched title track channels McGrath’s pop-scuzz sweet spot à la Swell Maps. The warm, lo-fi mixes and Sarah Register’s (Talk Normal/Kim Gordon) mastering keep the set cohesive and crackling with energy.

Following recording, Joe Stickney (Bear In Heaven, Ex-Mazed) joined as full-time drummer, joining McGrath (vocals/guitar), Liakos (bass/vocals), and Crozier (lead guitar). The new lineup moves with leaner precision and improvisational muscle, giving their live shows a motorik pulse and “surfin’ CAN” energy.

The result is a startlingly fresh take on rock & roll—alive, unpretentious, and impossible to taxidermy. To borrow the immortal words of Patrick Swayze, the band’s namesake: “The little hand says it’s time to rock and roll, again.”