OCTOBER 11, 2024 [Los Angeles, CA] — “Every song has its own soul and personality but it’s still us,” says Northern California’s favorite alt-rock/pop punk trio StrateJacket about the tracks on their debut album Bad Start out today (October 11, 2024viaEDGEOUT). “There’s not really one definite sound [on the album]. It all is different feelings, different vibes and different grooves coming together and it still works cohesively.” Take, for instance, their newest single “Dreamcatcher,” whose video (released today) premiered via Under The Radar and was filmed at a rowdy house show of which the band – Jackson Roemers (lead vocals/guitar), FabianAngel (vocals/bass), and Nate Mangold – joyously say that those gigs always “bring out the best in us.” Adding, “When the house party wants a slapper, we play ‘Dreamcatcher’.” Continuing to add to their live performance repertoire after their vibrant live set at Aftershock Festival in Sacramento yesterday, the band will be joining up with 10 Years for a handful of supporting dates along the west coast portion of their tour this month, including Seattle, WA (October 12); Portland, OR (October 13); Los Angeles (October 16); Phoenix, AZ (October 18); and rounding it out in Roswell, NM on October 19.
Bad Start captures the zest of young adulthood at its best. There’s the shout-at-the-heavens title track “Bad Start”(originally featured on EA Sports’ NHL24 Soundtrack in tandem with NHL24’s Playlist last year), the ultra-melodic “Be My Drug,” the propulsive chant-ready fight song “End of Time,” and the newest single (the jangle pop “Dreamcatcher” which features a killer bass line by Angel ), all of which overflow with dark humor and contain the sort of electric energy that has hyper-charged the Bay Area’s punk and alternative scenes for decades.
Bad Start tracklist:
1. Bad Start 2. Be My Drug 3. End of Time 4. Living A Lie 5. Cut The Cord 6. Dreamcatcher 7. Torch 8. Watched You Go 9. Are You Tired Of Me? 10. Too Much 11. Just Like You
Elsewhere on the album, there’s the laid-back melody of “Torch,” which Roemers calls “the black sheep of the record,” since it’s the most straightforward rock song, a melodic pop rock track (“Watched You Go“) that’s partly inspired by Velvet Underground, and the tumultuous “Living a Lie.” The slashing “Cut the Cord” features personal lyrics written by Mangold- which he jokingly calls “a high school heartbroken love story,” but admits it’s based on actual experiences. Rounding out the last three tracks of the album is the band’s grungiest song (“Are You Tired of Me?”), a track featuring shimmery nu-wave pianos (“Too Much”) and an acoustic guitar-driven ballad (“Just Like You”), which represents the final acceptance that this album isn’t what it set out to be, which the band realizes is not a bad thing.
TOUR DATES: October 12 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon (opening for Ten Years) October 13 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre (opening for Ten Years) October 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy (opening for Ten Years) October 18 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge (opening for Ten Years) October 19 – Roswell, NM @ The Liberty (opening for Ten Years)
The band’s journey to BadStart has been marked by unwavering determination, even during the darkest days of the pandemic lockdown. Unsure when they’d play another gig or if they would secure a record deal or make an album, they persevered. Yet, they maintained optimism and hope, overcoming every obstacle. Their resilience has seen them grow from humble Bay Area venues to playing at prestigious festivals like SXSW, Welcome to Rockville, and Omaha’s KIWR’s Summer Bash in 2024. Looking back at StrateJacket’s origins, it’s clear they didn’t get such a bad start after all.
StrateJacket recorded the album at Vancouver’s Armoury Studios in November of 2022. They worked with the Juno/BMI-winning Canadian producer/songwriter Brian Howes (Hinder, Skillet, Boys Like Girls) to bring their vision to life. The band also secured Grammy® winning Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, Muse, Prince) to mix the tunes, ensuring a high-quality sound that matches their musical ambitions.
StrateJacket’s debut album, Bad Start, is available on all streaming platforms today. The band’s official video for “Dreamcatcher” is out today.
