Nearly two years after NOBRO released Set Your Pussy Free, their debut full-length record that was shortlisted for the Polaris Prize and won them the JUNO Award for Rock Album of the Year, the Montreal punk band returns with “DOOMTOWN,” a garage-rock adrenaline-blast single that marks a vulnerable new era for the band.
Centered around vocalist/bassist Kathryn McCaughey and guitarist Karolane Carbonneau, NOBRO have made their name with riotous, liberatory party-punk mayhem, middle fingers to the world. But there are some pains you can’t party your way out of. Right before they won the JUNO Award, half the band quit. Carbonneau lost her father; McCaughey began the difficult journey of watching hers struggle with dementia. At what should’ve been one of the highest moments of their lives, NOBRO were confronted with existential terror: What the hell is this all for? Where is this all going?
NOBRO looks to find that answer on their latest single, “DOOMTOWN.” The explosive, chugging anthem is a rare moment of vulnerability for this young punk band, as they find themselves in a world of harsh realities without a way to make sense of any of it. “DOOMTOWN” asks plenty of questions throughout its runtime, creating an enticing conflict that is emphasized by the searing guitar riffs and thudding drum patterns. Each moment of “DOOMTOWN” feels deeply personal to NOBRO, almost as if the band is setting a new standard for themselves and contemporary punk as a whole. The band has always maintained a unique approach, but this is the moment their ambitions catch up with their prowess. “DOOMTOWN” introduces an introspective side of NOBRO, one whose lyrics are as fearless as the subtle experimentation that is injected into every chord played and note sung, and you’re getting in on the ground floor of an exhilarating young band.
“It’s the first time we have ever really opened up candidly about personal issues. We have always relied on humour in our music to mask the real feelings of fear and despair,” explains NOBRO. “But with this song, we decided we were going to be honest about how we feel. And we feel sad.”
