ANXIOUS is back and they’re stepping things up with their new album Bambi, set to drop on February 21st via Run For Cover Records.
Following their 2022 debut, Little Green House, this second record shows ANXIOUS diving deeper into their alternative rock roots, blending hardcore and emo vibes with a more polished and ambitious sound. It’s the kind of sonic leap that feels inevitable for a band growing up, both musically and personally.
The lead single, Counting Sheep, teases that evolution. From the opening notes, it’s clear ANXIOUS has leveled up. Layers of shimmering guitars and lush harmonies give way to huge distorted walls of sound and powerhouse drums, all wrapped up with one of their biggest, most anthemic choruses to date. The track nods to influences like JIMMY EAT WORLD, THE SMASHING PUMPKINS, and even THE BEACH BOYS, while still keeping that core ANXIOUS energy. Guitarist/co-vocalist Dante Melucci breaks it down: “This one is totally insane… I had the idea that I could turn the vibe of the Gorillaz self-titled record into a cool ANXIOUS track, and once I had the verse melody and the quick 16th rhythm pacing I knew it was gonna be the best song. It’s about being lethargic and wasting your time and hiding, all because you’re too afraid to confront just about everything.”
Produced by Brett Romnes (THE MOVIELIFE, FRONT BOTTOMS, OSO OSO) at Barber Shop Studios, Bambi pushes ANXIOUS’s sound forward while staying true to their hardcore roots. The album navigates the messy transition from adolescence into adulthood, touching on the burnout and breakups that come with it. It’s a raw, anthemic rock record that takes big risks and nails them, one after another.
Lyrically, it dives into the often-uncomfortable realities of growing up, all while being in a band that’s quickly gaining traction. The challenges of balancing life on the road and personal growth are front and center, and the result is a record that feels like a massive leap forward. Tracks like Head & Spine, Sunder, and Tell Me Why are all prime examples of the band’s evolving sound, with ‘90s alt-rock riffs and ‘60s-style harmonies layered over crisp modern production.
Grady Allen, the band’s vocalist, reflects on what it was like to grapple with these growing pains while writing Bambi: “I started exploring what it would look like to finish college… I looked at the whole thing through this very binary lens: I could either do the band or go back to school. So when I unveiled everything to the guys I think everyone perceived it as ‘Well, Grady is just leaving.’” That tension led to a creative rift, but it also fueled the fire that would become Bambi. Allen and Melucci were both struggling with life on the road and how it was affecting their relationships, but out of all that came a record that feels both cathartic and revitalizing.
There’s a certain boldness to Bambi, reminiscent of those big, defining records like BLINK-182’s self-titled or JIMMY EAT WORLD’s Clarity. As Allen puts it: “Bambi is the band we could have been, that I want us to be—and I think the record is that.”
You can hear the ambition throughout, especially on songs like Next Big Star and Audrey Go Again, where the band strips back the volume a bit, diving into acoustic textures and intricate arrangements. It’s the kind of maturity that shows the band isn’t just shouting to be heard—they know when to pull back and let the emotional weight of the song do the heavy lifting.
Closing the album is I’ll Be Around, a stomping rock track that ties everything together with a climactic finish. It’s a nod to the enduring friendships within the band, despite the growing pains they’ve experienced. As Allen says, “I wrote it about the enduring nature of my friendship with Dante… although we’ve grown in different directions, we’ve been able to maintain this synergy and love. It feels like the right note to close the record on: hopeful, loving, forgiving–looking forward.”
Upcoming Shows:
10/26 Queens, NY @ Transpecos
11/02 Richmond, VA @ LTC Fest
12/13 Amherst, MA @ The Drake
12/14 Buffalo, NY @ Blissmas 2024
02/01 Boston, MA @ Something in the Way Fest
