FAKE NAMES
NEW ALBUM 'EXPENDABLES“ ON 03.03.2023 VIA EPITAPH
The new single can be heard and seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q31Fh-nZMQM
The post-hardcore dream team Fake Names announces today their second studio album "Expendables," which will be released on March 3, 2023, via Epitaph Records. The band consists of members Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Bad Religion, Dag Nasty), Michael Hampton (S.O.A., Embrace), Dennis Lyxzén (Refused, INVSN, The [International] Noise Conspiracy), Johnny Temple (Girls Against Boys, Soulside), and newcomer Brendan Canty (Fugazi, Rites of Spring). The album is the latest exchange in a musical history that spans four decades, but instead of drawing on the past, "Expendables" represents a reinvention where the band dial back the distortion and focuses on melodies.
Frontman Brian Baker describes the 2016-formed Fake Names as a "community of mutual admiration". When the five members first sat together in a room, it felt as if they had been in the band for years. "There is this intangible energy that comes from our shared experience", he explains. On "Expendables," the result connects their unparalleled journey with a pop sensibility that is unexpected yet absolutely compelling.
The simplicity of the songs also stems from the fact that they were recorded within a week, making it impossible to add extra instruments or arrangements. The result is an album that maintains the pure vision of the members in a surprisingly refreshing way.
Regarding the lyrics, Baker reveals: "In general, Dennis writes about revolution, and Michael and I write pop songs. I’m amazed at how that works, but somehow it strikes the right balance between bitter and sweet." This imagery is also reflected in the album cover, which Baker describes as "dystopian" and features an eerie army of mannequins against a cold city backdrop. This combination of vibrant music and dark imagery is an important thematic element of Expendables, as the album is more than just a collection of catchy songs: it is an artistic statement about our own transience.
"EXPENDABLES" TRACKLIST:
1. Targets
2. Expendables
3. Delete Myselfe
4. Go
5. Don't Blame Yourself
6. Can't Take It
7. Damage Done
8. Madtown
9. Caught In Between
10. Too Little Too Late
Fake Names are
Brian Baker (Guitar/Vocals),
Michael Hampton (Guitar/Vocals)
Dennis Lyxzén (Vocals)
as well as Johnny Temple (Bass)
and Brendan Canty (Drums).
