Nate Mendel’s gained some fame as the bassist in two little bands — Foo Fighters and Sunny Day Real Estate. (Maybe you’ve heard of them?) Now Mendel is stepping to the front of the stage for the first time as the guitarist and lead singer for his new band, Lieutenant. He recorded their debut album, If I Kill This Thing We’re All Going To Eat For A Week, in between his Foo Fighters duties last fall, and Lieutenant played two shows in California last week. The band’s new single, “Believe the Squalor,” is a moderately paced jam, showcasing Mendel’s smooth, almost crooning voice, and what sounds like an excellent use of a triangle.
The album drops on March 10, and features guest appearances from Helmet’s Page Hamilton, Modest Mouse’s Joe Plumber, the Head and the Heart’s Josiah Johnson, and Mendel’s old pals Chris Shiflett and Jeremy Enigk from the Foo Fighters and Sunny Day Real Estate, respectively. Listen to “Believe the Squalor” below courtesy of Stereogum.
