Today Skating Polly – the Tacoma-based Oklahoma-bred “Ugly Pop” trio – Kelli Mayo, Peyton Bighorse and Kurtis Mayo – are announcing the June 23rd release of Chaos County Line – a double album and the band’s first new studio recording in five years. The LP will be released through the band’s longtime label El Camino Media and was produced by frequent collaborator Brad Wood (Liz Phair, Veruca Salt, Smashing Pumpkins).
Along with the news, Skating Polly is releasing the LP’s frenetic lead single and music video for “Hickey King” – a song that explores the minefield of power dynamics in sex and relationships. In addition, they’re announcing a May US headline tour and are already confirmed for this month’s Treefort Festival in Boise, ID as well as a performance at this year’s Belltown Bloom fest in Seattle May 5th and 6th where they’ll play alongside L7 and Pussy Riot.
On their forthcoming double album Chaos County Line, Skating Polly reach a whole new level of self-possession, ultimately sharing their most expansive and emotionally powerful work to date. The follow-up to 2018’s critically acclaimed The Make It All Show LP, the songs on the new album journey from art-punk to noise-rock to piano-driven power-pop. Not only the outcome of their constant growth as songwriters, Chaos County Line’s scope and depth has much to do with Skating Polly’s newly heightened clarity of vision. “All these songs are the most special to me of anything I’ve ever written, and I think Kelli feels the same,” says Peyton. “In the past I didn’t always write with a clear purpose, but this time I knew exactly what I wanted to say. We both ended up writing about the most difficult emotional experiences we’ve ever been through, and instead of being terrified of saying exactly what I was feeling it just all came out so naturally.” “I think on this record Kelli and Peyton were really confident in being more honest and more experimental at the same time, whereas in the past they might’ve made the lyrics more poetic in order to cloak that honesty a bit,” says Kurtis.
On today’s single “Hickey King,” Kelli and Peyton trade off vocals as they share their distinct perspectives on closely related experiences. “In Peyton’s verse she’s talking about never knowing how far to go or how much of yourself to give to someone, and when my part comes crashing in it’s about guys being possessive and always trying to leave their mark on you,” Kelli says. “To me it’s the most Skating Polly song on the record, because it’s all these different energies happening at once.”
Confirmed Skating Polly Tour Dates:
March 6 Brighton, UK – The Hope & Ruin+
March 7 Norwich, UK – The Waterfront+
March 8 Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK – The Cluny+
March 9 Sheffield, UK – Corporation+
March 10 Liverpool, UK – 02 Academy 2+
March 11 Hull, UK – The Polar Bear+
March 12 London, UK – Moth Club+
March 22-26 Boise, ID – Treefort Festival+
May 05-06 Seattle, WA – Belltown Bloom+
May 06 Portland, OR – Mano Oculta
May 08 Albany, CA – Ivy Room
May 09 Sacramento, CA – Starlet Room
May 11 Los Angeles, CA – Moroccan Lounge
May 12 San Diego, CA – Casbah
May 13 Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
May 15 Austin, TX – Mohawk
May 16 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
May 17 Dallas, TX – Three Links
May 18 Tulsa, OK – Mercury Lounge
May 19 Oklahoma City, OK – Factory Obscura
May 20 Lawrence, KS – Replay Lounge
May 22 Denver, CO – HQ
May 23 Colorado Springs, CO – Vultures
May 24 Salt Lake City, UT – The Beehive
May 25 Reno, NV – The Holland Project
Lord Friday the 13th on all dates except +
#skatingpolly
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Like literally one of the top bands in the U.S. but still only music snobs know about them.