A song written in the shadow of political upheaval, reworked through the frustration of economic disparity, and finalized in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s downfall—”Choice” by New York City’s Allapartus is a direct indictment of the systems that keep working-class people in check, wrapped in a visceral, guitar-driven soundscape that channels pop-punk energy through a darker, more urgent lens.
The single, the first from their upcoming full-length album, is set for release alongside a music video today.
Frontman Adam recalls the night of the 2020 presidential election, when a conversation about the American healthcare system led to the song’s first sparks.
“I was talking with a friend about the illusion of choice in a country where the wellbeing of working people is in direct conflict with the need for corporate profit growth.”
The track sat unfinished for a while until he started working retail in 2022 and became involved in his first workers union. That experience, coupled with watching an interview featuring a lawyer who played a key role in overturning Roe v. Wade, pushed the song to completion. “He described it as a victory to a battle he had been fighting every day for 30 years,” Adam says.
“That taking healthcare away from others, and putting people’s lives in danger was the greatest life accomplishment of this wretched individual.”
The lyrics pull no punches. “Freedom is the meds we have to ration / Freedom is the homes we can’t afford / Freedom is a past that never happened,” Adam sings, laying bare the contradictions of a country that preaches liberty while tightening its grip on those with the least power. The chorus drives it home: “There’s no one left to trust except for us.” No outside savior is coming, Allapartus insists—it’s on communities to fight for themselves.
Allapartus started as a punk band during Adam’s college years, morphing over time into its current lineup: Adam on vocals and guitar, Danny Caro on drums, and Kevin Dubois on bass. Their music balances “delicate atmosphere and guitar-driven catharsis,” pulling from pop-punk, post-hardcore, and emo influences while keeping tension and release at the core of their songwriting.
Lyrically, the band takes inspiration from books, film, history, and current events. Adam cites science fiction, DIY communities, and labor organizing as major thematic pillars, with the upcoming full-length album expanding on those ideas—delving into alienation, working-class struggle, patriarchy, and generational trauma.
The video for “Choice,” directed by longtime friend and former Allapartus bassist Tom Van Scoyoc, captures the essence of both community and defiance. Shot on 35mm film in the backyard of Adam’s Bed-Stuy apartment, the visual nods to the polished aesthetic of early 2000s pop-punk videos while staying rooted in the raw spirit of the DIY scene. “While the song discusses many of the serious faults of modern America, the video acts as a lens into what the start of a solution would look like—building community with others,” the band explains.
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The single’s cover art is a photo from the 1912 Textile Strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts, an event chronicled in Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States. The image depicts striking workers facing down National Guardsmen, a stark visual parallel to the song’s themes of systemic control and resistance. “The image felt pretty appropriate alongside the lyrics of our song, which describes the various illusions of choice for working people in America. Do what we say. Or Else.”
With “Choice” leading the charge, Allapartus is currently recording their first full-length album, set for release later this year.
The focus is on crafting an album that translates directly to an intense live experience. “The goal with all these new songs is to have live performance be the main focus, as well as elevate the level of intensity and immediacy for the listener,” Adam says. That means a packed year of shows, with performances throughout NYC and weekenders along the East Coast. “Just overall doing our best to make a mess.”
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The band’s relationship with their local scene is one of admiration and deep involvement. Adam remembers his early days playing in Manhattan, when the scene was dominated by gatekeepers and exclusivity. Over the years, things have shifted toward something more inclusive and community-driven. “A diverse and largely community-driven culture of first-rate artistic expression and inclusivity,” he describes it.
He credits the DIY hardcore punk shows put on by Corpus, a music label out of Blissville, Queens, as a major influence. “Meeting these folks made me realize how limited my scope was for what a music scene could be, and is indicative of the raw talent infused in and around New York.”
For anyone looking to dive into NYC’s music scene, Adam has a few recommendations:
Show Me The Body – Founders of Corpus, their abrasive, confrontational style embodies the gold standard of New York DIY.
Big Head – “If you like indie rock, loud guitars and lyrics that are clever, devastating, and somehow hilarious, this is a band for you.”
Crime In Stereo – “A band out of Long Island that pushed all the limits set by the early 2000s post-hardcore scene.”
Career Day – “Massive guitar-driven energy matched with biting criticism of classism, racism, and climate collapse.”
