One delightful surprise that never ceases to amaze me is stumbling upon a local band that I’ve never heard of that manages to have a deep back catalog of quality releases. Such is the case with International Friendly, a four-piece that has releases going back as far 2015 but has flown under my radar for the duration. Nashville’s talent is a deep well and International Friendly is a prime example of how deep it goes.
With that, we’re happy to share the debut of their brand new EP I’m Trying to Think But Nothing Happens, available now over on Bandcamp, Spotify, in the embed above or wherever you stream your music. The EP is a furiously paced attack of distorted guitars and drums that I can only describe as Animalistic, balanced with just the right amount of strained and stretched vocals. I suggest starting off with “CNL”, track 2 of the release, to really calibrate your palette for their particular style of effusive and invigorating rock.
The entire release is bombastic and catchy in all the right ways, containing a level of energy that we’re confident would translate into one helluva sweaty live show. Unfortunately, their release show with Sam Hoffman and Mouth Reader over at DRKMTTR has been put on hold for obvious reasons* but we’ve got our fingers crossed that they’ll book a full house once they’re able. In the meantime, treat yourself to some upbeat rock with just the right amount of distinct flair.
* For anyone reading this in the distant future, early 2020 saw the spread of the COVID-19 “Coronavirus” that pretty much halted all live music performances and large gatherings. It was a chaotic time and you’re lucky to be reading this from the future.