Fronted by the affable, spectacled Jordan Hudkins, Rozwell Kid write massive, gritty, excitable power-punk songs; they channel Blue Album guitar grandiosity and eternally-hummable melodies conveyed in ‘ooo”s, the likes of which would make Rivers Cuomo weak in his problematic knees. Combined with persistent touring that took the band’s bombastic guitar rock all over the world, their 2014 LP Too Shabby quickly became a cult classic amidst those in-the-know. And now, Rozwell Kid will finally release its highly-anticipated follow-up, Precious Art, on June 23.
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UHF on DVD, the first single off of Precious Art, is a good-humoured, high energy probe into anxiety and insecurity. In Hudkins’ signature style, the song calls upon the 1989 Weird Al cult classic UHF and homemade tacos to pacify an anxiety attack brought on nearly half a world away while Rozwell Kid were on their first tour of Australia last year.
“Nostalgia has always been part of my inspiration for songwriting,” admits Hudkins. “I’ve always seemed to pull from childhood memories and recontextualized them, where I kind of imagine it as a big 30 year-old kid wearing OshKosh B’Gosh overalls singing about these things they experienced or thought about as a kid.”
What’s even more impressive is how Hudkins communicates in his own special language to relay the same emotions most songwriters do (excitement, disappointment, heartbreak, love, self-doubt, etc), but in an entirely new way. His insane ability to balance pathos and humour to turn the slightest, most oddball detail – whether that’s picking his nose, making Batman costumes or liking hummus – into works of, well, precious art.
It’s been nearly three years since the release of Rozwell Kid’s breakout album Too Shabby thrust the West Virginian four-piece into the spotlight. The album granted the band opportunities to tour the world alongside bands like Into It. Over It., Motion City Soundtrack, The Hotelier, The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, You Blew It!, Superheaven and more, whilst drawing constant Weezer comparisons from high-profile outlets such as Pitchfork and Noisey. Their irrepressible attitude and outrageous stage antics have made Rozwell Kid a staple for fans of Weezer, Dinosaur Jr., The Darkness and more.
