Jacuzzi Boys Bring Memphis Into Their Sound

Miami’s Jacuzzi Boys found an audience during the garage rock spike of the 2010s, but, unlike many of their contemporaries, they’ve had real staying power. The three-piece masterfully infuses a sneering joy into their songs, balancing punk and pop (but never veering into pop-punk, if that makes sense). They’ve even garnered the praise of a legendary Miami neighbor: Iggy Pop.

Jacuzzi Boys (photo by Dustin Aksland)

Last week, the band shared two updates, one of which was pretty heavy. Gabe Alcala, the lead singer and guitarist for the band, recently underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor. Gabe’s family and the band shared some information about his post-op recovery, and it sounds like things are going relatively well and there’s a clear plan of action moving forward. In addition to the physical and emotional realities of the diagnosis, the medical bills are significant — so, if you want to help out, then chip in via his GoFundMe page.

Their second update was far less serious, thankfully. They premiered a new single, “Feelin’ Fine,” as well as a behind-the-scenes music video. It’s a laid back tune that’s layered up with organ, auxiliary percussion, and distinct “Oooh oooh ooohs.” It carries a real groove with plenty of slice-of-life lyrics from Gabe (“Got into the line that said ten items or less…”). The standout element of the song is Danny Gonzalez’s bass tone (and playing) — given that the guys recorded the song at Memphis’ Sam Phillips Recording Studio, it’s no wonder the bass has such a soulful and grounded presence. Really great all around.

Check out the song and video below and pre-order the full record — Too Cold to Tango — which comes out on December 5.