Houston, Texas’ own Handsomebeast — yes, one word and from Ron Burgundy himself — started in 2009 and have really started picking up traction in their hometown. They have become known for their funky live shows, skilled musicianship, and a unique sound that blends elements of classic rock with indie, funk, and more to create their own infectious pop sound.
Since their inception, the band have had three different releases: 2014’s Estilo Gacho, 2015’s Sexy Face Reaction Time EP, and 2016’s The Badass Future. Today, we are excited to be partnering with Handsomebeast to unveil their new song “Playboi” — their first since The Badass Future.
“Playboi” is piano driven yet features a sultry baseline, Joe Walsh-esque guitar licks, and even warped backing vocals. You can check out the song — and it’s corresponding music video — at the top of this post. The video is the first in a series about this particular “Playboi” character, and was shot over the course of one day in New Orleans where the band originally formed in 2009 at the University of Loyola New Orleans. The video was even directed by Richard White, who is a current student at Loyola.
“Think about ‘Playboi’ like this: it’s the song that’s playing when you walk into a back alley speakeasy after pulling off the greatest bank-job of your time. If this song doesn’t make it into a sweet heist movie, we’ll be seriously disappointed with the direction of American Cinema,” the band explains. “The video itself is a peek into the life of this morally questionable protagonist, who we like to think of as The Playboi, and his crew (The Goons). They scheme, they heist, they celebrate and they repeat.”
If you like what you hear from Handsome beast and “Playboi,” you can find their upcoming tour dates below. The band has become a cult favorite in their hometown due to their volcanic live performances, so you won’t want to miss these shows if you’re able to get out to one of these dates.
Thursday, September 13th – Hi Tone Cafe – Memphis, Tennessee
Saturday, September 15th – Foggy Mountain Brewpub – Asheville, North Carolina
Thursday, September 20th – Pianos – New York City, New York
Friday, September 21st – Connie’s Ric Rac – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Saturday, September 22nd – Gypsysally’s – Washington, D.C.
Friday, September 28th – Axelrad – Houston, Texas