Philly’s Nothing fuses punk and shoegaze on the new single “Bent Nail”

Philly’s Nothing gets called “shoegaze” quite a bit; it probably gets “dream-pop” just as often. And while I’m probably guilty of using both of these adjectives in describing the band, I know their sound is more than a word. When we talked to frontman Domenic Palermo back in August about their recent signing to Relapse Records, he bristled at any attempts to classify the band. “We’re a punk band and I’m psyched Relapse wants to put out a punk record,” he told us.

With the new Guilty of Everything due out on Relapse on March 4th, the band has released a few teaser tracks this winter, including today’s debut of “Bent Nail” via The Fader. It’s probably the most explicit fusion of punk and shoegaze we’ve heard from Nothing yet; a propulsive slam-dance beat goading on a mystical wash of guitars. It’s brutal and hard-hitting, but it’s also kind of pretty. Listen to “Bent Nail” below, and see the band play Boot and Saddle with Whirr on Sunday February 2nd (tickets and information via the WXPN Concert Calendar).

(Read More – Nothing’s Domenic Palermo on Guilty of Everything and getting signed by Relapse)