Last year, Wisconsin trio Tenement (one of SPIN‘s 50 Best Rock Bands Right Now) proved that surging, distorted rock with a hint of guitar chime — i.e. Foo Fighters or anything Bob Mould has ever done — is alive and well on their 78-minute, 25-song sprawl Predatory Highlights. Not all 20-something punks develop a flair for crafty power-pop as they wind down into adulthood, but these guys have, and make it sound easy.
The tambourine-pounding “The Block Is Safe Again,” from the upcoming singles comp Bruised Music Vol.2 (out April 8 on Grave Mistake Records) is one of their catchiest tunes to date, as well-suited for Fountains of Wayne as it is Chumped. They’ve got the exultant stop-start riff, streamlined chorus harmonies, and jammed-suitcase chord changes down to a science by now — and all inside of 77 seconds. Listen to the tune below, maybe a few times on repeat so you get your hum reflex’s worth.
You can pre-order Bruised Music Vol. 2 from Grave Mistake and Toxic Pop now.
