Almost two years ago to the day, we named PWR BTTM a Band To Watch, and a few months after that they released their debut album, Ugly Cherries, which established them as one of the most vital queer voices in music today. Today, they’re announcing their sophomore full-length, which is called Pageant, and sharing its lead single, “Big Beautiful Day,” accompanied by a music video.

The song is a rip-roaring anthem that preaches self-empowerment in the face of hate and radical but uncompromising empathy to those that might not accept them because they don’t have the proper framework for doing so. “There are men everywhere who cannot help but stare when they see you because they cannot understand,” Ben Hopkins sings in the second verse. “Within those men, there are boys who have never had the choice but to grow up and be scared to be your friend/ Jesus Christ, let’s help them,” he groans before launching into a frenetic chorus — “Curse that motherfucker who would spit upon another’s body/ Who the hell gave you the right to tell me that I’m wrong?” — that demonstrates their disarrayed drumming and noodling guitar lines in characteristically show-offy fashion. It’s a heavy political punk song filtered through the band’s uniquely theatrical worldview, and it’s amazing.

The music video, which was directed by Christopher Good (who has done videos for the likes of Joyce Manor, The World Is…, and Margaret Glaspy), takes place primarily at a glitter-heavy party, and features an embarrassment of rich visual cues and jokes, intercut with footage of Liv Bruce delivering Eggos to Hopkins in the morning and walking through snowy New York streets.

Watch and listen below.

Tracklist:
01 “Silly”
02 “Answer My Text”
03 “LOL”
04 “Won’t”
05 “Now, Now”
06 “Sissy”
07 “Pageant”
08 “Oh Boy”
09 “New Trick”
10 “Wash”
11 “Kids’ Table”
12 “Big Beautiful Day”
13 “Styrofoam”

Pageant is out 5/12 via Polyvinyl. Pre-order it here. Check out their upcoming tour dates here.

CREDIT: Ebru Yildiz