MAY 16, 2025 [Omaha, NE] – With all the turmoil going on in the world today, Omaha, NE’s post-rock band LEAFBLOWER feels a little bit of respite is needed to recenter yourself… or, as the title of their new single suggests, take a “Burn Cruise.” Explains bassist Craig Fort, “a ‘Burn Cruise’ is like a ‘cousin walk.'” Lead singer Danny Maxwell interjects, “Or a ‘smoke break,” clearing up any misconceptions from the colloquialism. “It’s a chance for you to clear your head and get positive, regardless of what you are dealing with because in the end, the work still needs to be done and life goes forward,” continues Fort. “Burn Cruise” is the title track from the band’s new album (release date: June 13, 2025viaMax Trax Records).
“It’s how you prepare yourself to navigate whatever’s in front of you,” says Fort about the fuzzy guitar-drenched second single. Tackling anxiety head on, the track reflects on the necessity of taking a breather when needed. “Everyone needs a moment to step out, let the mind wander, absorb fresh perspectives through new experiences, and return with renewed focus to get the job done,” adds Maxwell.
Wielding an important message about mental health, the album examines the benefits of expelling heavy subject matter and learning to navigate around its pitfalls. Maxwell explains, “Burn Cruise explores themes of inner personal reflection, aligning with the overarching focus of the album. The lyrics delve into navigating the pressures of modern life—a packed schedule, urgent responsibilities, and the need for quick mental resets. The lyrics were written during a time of deep introspection, drawing from my own personal experiences as well as the stories I observed around me. My aim on this record was to shift the focus, moving away from the external and delving into a more inward exploration of my thoughts and emotions. Ultimately, I wanted to change the narrative perspective and truly look within.”
Since 2016, Leafblower’s patented brand of psych rock has whiplashed crowds of bobbing heads and pumping fists. The band released a demo, a live set, a single—but all the while, their first full-length has been simmering to a boil, now ready to sear.
Drawing on the strength of each band member’s previous tenures in assorted bands of different genres from post-punk (New Lungs, The Fucking Party), indie (Little Brazil), and old-school reinvented country (Lightning Stills), Leafblower’s amalgamated sound pulls together their influeces and melds it into the post-rock masterpiece that is Burn Cruise. The opener, “Long Night,” haunts, creeps, then gallops into the howling dual guitars of Maxwell and Clark Jahn, while the outro track “Stoopin’” is a haunted shiver of banjo, piano, and theremin soaked in sepia. In between, “Namaste Home” unleashes an onslaught out of the gate, as Fort’s bass gutturally punctuates Maxwell’s plaintive vocal venom. The melodic post-punk of “Unsatisfied” twists into prog-rock harmony before the song pummels with pure metal. The unrelenting beat of “Ghosts” builds, guitars wailing, and Tab Tworek’s drums turn frenetic, a pulse-racing metronome.
Looking forward to the album’s release on June 13th, Fort reflects, “From the opening of the album when we turn the key until we’re relaxing on the front porch after all the chaos at the end, Burn Cruise is a complicated adventure through the struggles and roadblocks of our lives, and our ways of coping with what we are dealt while trying to make the best of it and try to enjoy the ride.”
Leafblower is Danny Maxwell (guitar/vocals), Clark Jahn (guitar), Tab Tworek (drums), and Craig Fort (Bass/Theremin/Vocals). Their second single “Burn Cruise” is out now and can be streamed HERE. Their new album Burn Cruise will be released on June 13, 2025viaMax Trax Records. Pre-order the album HERE.
Burn Cruise
Tracklisting
- Long Night
- Namaste Home
- Burn Cruise
- Reverse Upward Spiral
- Unsatisfied
- Ghosts
- Night Sweat
- Stoopin’
Follow Leafblower