It starts with a detuned guitar and ends with the lonely shaking of maracas, an epic and loose-limbed nugget titled ”Civilization and its Discontents.” This is Mid Atlantic junk-rock of the highest priority and it makes an exclusive debut right here, today, on Popdose.

The band is The Lampshades, a Pittsburgh trio of the finest caliber. The group traces its lineage back to teenage noise in Altoona, Pa. in the early 2000s but has matured in recent years with outings like 2014’s Numbskull Nothinghead. ”Civilization and its Discontents” is the first single from its fifth full-length album, Astrology.

The new album — which features Jaren Love on lead vocals and guitar, Chris Kibler on bass and backing vocals, and Dane Adelman on drums, synthesizers and backing vocals — will be released March 23 through Mint 400 Records on CD, digital/streaming and — for the first band for this band — on vinyl. There will be an album release show April 14 at Cattivo in Pittsburgh.

The video for ”Civilization and its Discontents” is directed by Jonathan Buchanan, a central Pennsylvanian who migrated west to become a props master in the film and TV industry of Los Angeles. He has been directing videos for the band since 2003.

About the Author

Justin Vellucci

Justin Vellucci is a former staffer at Punk Planet and Delusions of Adequacy. His music writing has appeared in national magazines like American Songwriter and PopMatters, alt-weeklies such as Brooklyn Rail, Pittsburgh CityPaper, and San Diego CityBeat, blogs Swordfish and Linoleum, and the Gannett publication Jetty. He lives in Pittsburgh.

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