‘My Escape’ out on Friday, April 11. FFO: Jawbreaker, Fugazi, Black Flag, Pup, Joyce Manor.

In BlackWristBand, John McGeown does it all—the singer and songwriter, the drummer, guitarist and bassist—and he does so with the force and fury of a fully-fledged lineup. The 10 tracks on ‘My Escape’ offer an angsty flurry of feelings that draw as much from music acts like Apocalypse Hoboken, Oblivion, Dead Kennedys, Buzzcocks, Misfits and Black Flag as they do verbose writers like William S. Burroughs, Hubert Selby Jr., Hunter S. Thompson. While he may not have any collaborators on the self-released debut album John jokes, “I do sort of have a split personality on the album. Different versions of myself showed up for this one.” The themes are wide-ranging, at times expressing disappointment, at others sarcastic and crass, but always sincere. The music is largely inspired by his time in the Navy. On the indie rock-leaning single ‘I Don’t Care’ what unfurls is a kaleidoscopic mirage of “resignation, defiance and introspection” says John. “On the one hand, saying ‘I don’t care’ gives you a sense of apathy or detachment from various aspects of life. But the chorus offers a contrasting tone, emphasizing a sense of community and connection through music.” ‘My Escape’ was produced, mixed, and engineered by Jeff Dean at The Echo Mill and mastered by Justin Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering. Video directed by Miguel Echemendia.