New Noise magazine premiere Russian Girlfriends’ ‘Open armed and dangerous’
On November 6, a coalition of independent labels comprised of Sell The Heart Records, High End Denim Records, Engineer Records, and Scene Police Records will release ‘Never Better’, an album by Russian Girlfriends.
Russian Girlfriends formed in 2014 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, bringing together longtime friends and veterans of the local punk scene. The band quickly earned a reputation on the road, self-releasing their debut full-length, ‘All Around’ (2015), selling hundreds of copies directly at shows while touring throughout North America. German label Gunner Records rereleased the album the following year, and the band embarked on a European tour to support it.
Their second LP, ‘In the Parlance of Our Times’ (2019, A-F Records), expanded on that foundation with harder-hitting songwriting, bigger melodies, and sharper lyrical themes. During the pandemic, the band released a heavier self-titled EP while continuing to evolve during Adam Hooks’ absence.
Following an extended hiatus and several side projects, Russian Girlfriends have reunited with original vocalist Adam Hooks and drummer JR Willoughby, bringing together the band’s strongest line-up to date. Today the band share ‘Open Armed & Dangerous’ from the effort.
Hooks says, “Existing in a world constantly divided over party lines, neither of which have our best interests at heart, wastes energy instead of uniting our powers against the corporate elite that steal our lives from us every waking second. True resistance and change comes from unity through our common humanity, and this song is a challenge to keep an open mind, open heart, and open arms while navigating the darkness.”
The new material builds on everything that came before—combining the urgency of their early punk roots with heavier guitars, tighter song-writing, and the experience gained from more than a decade of writing, recording, and touring.
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