Brand new LP from this excellent LA power pop/punk band!


Our take: The Black and White and Gray is the third album by Los Angeles’s Rough Kids, whose first two albums we put out on Sorry State. So, you shouldn’t be surprised that I like this. On paper, Rough Kids was an odd fit for Sorry State, a west coast melodic punk band on an east coast label known for putting out hardcore (which is why Dirt Cult is a more appropriate home for them), but I just always thought they were a great fucking band. Their sound is unique, rooted in ’77 UK punk like the Buzzcocks but with a dash of frantic 90s Japanese garage and a knack for writing energetic but sad-sounding songs that might remind you of the Observers. And they can play their asses off, their rhythm section rooted in hardcore and two shredding guitarists who love to trade licks. What’s not to like, right? If you’re already a fan of Rough Kids, my take on The Black and White and Gray is that it reminds me of a lot of UK ’77-era bands’ third albums. I’m thinking of the Buzzcocks’ A Different Kind of Tension, Stiff Little Fingers’ Go For It, and the Boys’ To Hell with the Boys. These are records I love, and while none of them are “departure records” by any means, they have a different sound than the bands’ more famous debuts, replacing the spark that comes from discovering who you are as a band with a veteran’s instincts and an ability to play to the group’s strengths. The Black and White and Gray is more downcast than Rough Kids’ earlier records, with less of that frantic energy and more minor-key melodies and sad lyrics. In other words, the title is spot-on and the color scheme of the beautifully designed cover (another great one from Rough Kids bassist Paul D’Elia) is ironic. So yeah, existing fans, new fans… there’s something for everyone here, so check it out.