If you attended Goner Fest this year, you likely heard folks hyping up Twisted Teens. The New Orleans outfit performed two pulsing sets during the fest and won over a lot of new fans—including us—along the way.
Twisted Teens at Bar DKDC (photo by Adam Ziegenhals)
Their performances stood out because frontman CPN Hollywell held such a commanding presence on stage. He’s skilled at quickly bringing you into his world and holding your attention. Plus, his songs are great.
Soon after their Memphis tear, the band released a six-song EP titled, EU-EP. They recorded it in… well, you can probably connect the dots given the name…
Since I saw them live before hearing any recordings, I was curious if they’d be able to capture their mischievous folk-punk-roots sound in the studio. For the most part, they do — particularly on “Graveyard” and “Subway.”
“Graveyard” opens with an earwormy hook, marching drums, and a pedal steel part that functions more like a wonderful rubbery lead guitar than an ambient country layer. It’ll grab you, then tilt you. The track contracts and expands during its short run-time, with CPN’s vocals stretching his range as he repeats, “Don’t forget it.” While listening, I felt like I was reconnecting with the band I saw in Memphis a few weeks back.
“Subway” prompted that same feeling, although the track has a much different mood. CPN’s vocals veer away from hungover rock-chewing to a more reflective place with the pedal steel expanding the landscape through broader brush strokes. It’s definitely not a rip-it-up rocker (drums are absent), but it does display the band’s range while staying true to their live spirit.
Recently, after releasing EU-EP, Twisted Teens shared that they’re about to “drop a ridiculous amount of music” — I can’t wait.
