Pedigreed scene vets Rad Owl (ex-Samiam, Gratitude, The Stereo, etc.) are set to return with a predatory vengeance on their sophomore LP, ‘Rage Gracefully‘…

…arriving May 31 via Sell The Heart Records (US) and Engineer Records (EU/UK). The album title is a cheeky nod to the seasoned Minneapolis, Minnesota-based quartet’s quest to continue to level up as high-octane musicians and songwriters and maintain their plucky punk ethos, even in the unforgiving and often cynical face of middle age. Self-deprecation and Midwestern humility aside, ‘Rage Gracefully‘ swings for the fences with all the confidence of a well-oiled machine and promises to connect hard with fans of legends like Descendents, Propagandhi, Samiam, Hot Water Music and even Iron Maiden. Backed by punchy and pristine production, Rad Owl’s airtight and energetic melodic punk rock finds a new gear over the course of 12 fresh tracks that boast layers of nuanced harmonies, and heightened emotional urgency.

“‘Run It Out’ is the first song we wrote together with Ryan Tate on lead guitar, and it crackles with that excitement we all felt when he joined the band” drummer David Jarnstrom says. “We’re pushing the tempo to a frenetic level most of the way through, while stretching out in a dynamic bridge and solo section that’s such a great showcase for Ryan’s talents. It’s a hint at a direction we all want to explore moving forward.”

“The lyrics were written coming out of the pandemic” vocalist guitarist Jeremy Jessen adds. “I was playing off the baseball cliché. Like, even if it looks like you’re going to be out by a mile, you gotta keep running hard, cause you never know what might happen. We were coming out of this universally terrible period, full of fear and anger and strained relationships. There’s frustration, but also an element of hope that we’ll all keep trying to make this better, and somehow make it to where we need to go.”

New arrival Ryan Tate elevates the band’s sound via lead guitar lines that soar with both technical precision and uncanny musicality. The foundation of Jeremy Bergo and David Jarnstrom flex their pummeling, “ALL-ular” bass and drums connection (further bolstered by the duo’s recent service as fellow Descendents devotee Jon Snodgrass’ touring rhythm section), while frontman Jeremy Jessen delivers shreddy riffs and powerful, vocal melodies that result in instant earworms, yet manage to never sound stock. Already a regular fixture at Gainesville, Florida’s celebrated FEST Halloween weekend extravaganza, Rad Owl makes their debut appearance at Montreal, Quebec’s annual Pouzza Fest on May 19, followed by LP release dates in the Midwest and beyond.

Photo by Brad Gunnarson