Chicago, Illinois’ Typesetter have been turning heads in the DIY scene for a while. They recently went on tour supporting Against Me! and Speedy Ortiz, and even performed at Riot Fest last month.
Typesetter is gearing up to release their new album, Nothing Blues, this Friday, October 26th. It comes after a few lineup changes and even includes a significantly expanded sound. Nothing Blues showcases their established sound, while also sprinkling in new effects and synthesizers to add their ever-changing brand of anthemic punk-rock.
We could talk all day about the new Typesetter record, but today we have an exclusive premiere of it entirely below.Listen for yourself and dive into Nothing Blues a whole four days before it’s release:
After listening for yourself, if you are curious what went into each song and where the band were at when they wrote the song. We have an exclusive track-by-track with Typesetter for you.
“Monogamy I (Gliss Happening)”:
Marc Bannes: What I love about both Monogamy I and II is that they’re hopeful songs. They both are about unlearning the patriarchal bullshit that we’re taught regarding relationships, and the roles we’re “supposed” to fill. This one is about intimacy.
“Real Conversations with Imaginary Friends”:
Marc: This one’s an impressionistic take on the extreme paranoia that comes with severe anxiety. In your head, you can’t tell what’s real and what’s not. Your instincts tell you that no one gives a fuck about you, or that everyone’s out to get you. Unable to complete basic tasks like keeping in contact with your family, you devolve in a state of constant panic. Sometimes you physically writhe and yell. What must the neighbors think?
“Regardless”:
Marc: “When are we going to learn our lessons?” one asks as they repeat mistakes again and again. Old habits die hard, regardless of knowing the consequences, even if the right path is in front of you. Lifting yourself up seems insurmountable. This is both admonishment and pep talk.
“See the Light”:
Marc: I wanted to write a grungier song, with a poppy hook and a lot of fuzz. The bridge to See the Light is one of the most “Rock” things we’ve done and I love playing it. Lyrically, I’ll be blunt – don’t kill yourself. Find something constructive you love.
“Technicolor”:
Marc: This one is very special to me, and it’s also the biggest production on the record. It features two drum kits, percussion, keys, brass and guest vocals from Lydia Loveless. It was a hell of a song to mix. It’s about being able to see so clearly the version of yourself that you should be, but that ideal being unattainable.
“Monogamy II (Bad Actor)”:
Marc: Have you ever stepped outside of your own head and thought “what the hell am I saying? I’m literally acting out what I have internalized as the correct way to respond to an emotional situation, without assessing my own feelings or the feelings of other people.” I loathe toxic masculinity, I despise how pervasively it dictates how people relate to one another. Unlearning patriarchy, unlearning the reductive values of Judeo-Christianity – that shit takes forever if it’s been engrained in you. This is owning yourself and your feelings on your own terms.
“Only”:
Marc: When you’re young it’s easy to say “that’s my destination, this is the path I need to take.” Life obviously doesn’t work like that, the path is never what you expect, and the destination is often quite different than you anticipated. That can be a huge bummer, but it’s imperative to pivot your mindset and stop looking for what you once thought was the only thing that would make you happy or complete, because that was always a fruitless errand.
“White Noise”:
Kyle: This song shares some of the thematic elements of Don Delilo’s White Noise, mainly the lethargy and mental exhaustion of modern life. We even ripped a line from the book for the bridge: “May the days be aimless. Let the seasons drift. Do not advance the action according to a plan.”
“Marigold”:
Marc: I visited a beautiful cemetery in Sayulita, Mexico. Every crypt was adorned with gifts, balloons and marigolds. Sort of an ideological companion to “Only,” in my personal quest to find some sort of spirituality that makes sense. Should anything make sense? Is understanding death merely a shackle of sentience? Does it matter? Probably not.
“Viva”:
Marc: Thematically adjacent to “See the Light,” “Viva” is visiting the ceaseless dark hum in the back of the mind. Applying rationality to the irrational in a frenzy. Squaring up your antisocial proclivities. You need to find a way to let that shit out or it’ll eat you alive.
If you like what you hear from Typesetter and their new album, Nothing Blues, you can still pre-order the record before it drops this Friday, October 26th via 6131 Records. Additionally, you will find all of their upcoming tour dates below.
10/25 – St.Louis, MO – Fubar
10/28 – Gainesville, FL – The Fest @ The Wooly
10/30 – New Orleans, LA – Santos #
10/31 – Houston, TX – The Secret Group #
11/01 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey #
11/02 – Corpus Christi, TX – Boozers #
11/03 – Austin, TX – Beerland #
11/05 – Scottsdale, AZ – The Rogue Bar #
11/06 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar *
11/07 – Los Angeles, CA – Viper Room *
11/08 – San Francisco, CA – Above DNA Lounge *
11/09 – Sacramento, CA – Press Club *
11/10 – Portland, OR – Tonic Lounge *
11/11 – Seattle, WA – The Funhouse *
11/12 – Boise, ID – Deathproof Coffee #
11/13 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Underground #
11/14 – Fort Collins, CO – Surfside 7 #
11/15 – Denver, CO – Moon Room #
11/16 – Omaha, NE – O’leavers Pub #
11/17 – Chicago, IL – Sleeping Village#
