Twin brothers Austin and Ryan Eilbeck and their pal Jesse Wither (later of Stereogum favorites All Dogs) formed the pop-punk-ish indie rock band Delay way back in 1997 as teenagers in the Cleveland suburb of Berea. By 2003 they’d relocated to Columbus, where they set about becoming pillars of the local and national DIY scene, endlessly crisscrossing the country and playing and promoting countless shows at local bars and houses. Although they’ve never officially broken up, their most recent album Circle Change came out way back in 2014. But during the pandemic they improbably got together to write and record a new LP, as announced in this humorous teaser video:

That new album, Songs For Money, is dropping digitally in December on the great Salinas Records, with physical release to follow in the spring. The opening lyrics of lead single “Switter Beat” reveal the title to be a bit a syllabic mix-and-match: “It’s bittersweet when I think of you and me/ It’s like an alternate reality/ Our stubborn optimism kept us free.” The music is jangly and propulsive and piercingly catchy, and at less than two minutes you might feel compelled to play it back a few more times.

“Unknowingly, ‘Switter Beat’ was the first song written on Songs For Money,” the band told Punk Rock Theory. “Originally, it was for some solo sets that Austin was playing, but it was clearly a Delay song from the start. The song’s tone reflecting on relationships past fit right into the Delay catalogue and planted the seed to write the album.”

Listen below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Roman Candle, Both Hands”
02 “Shit Creek”
03 “Switter Beat”
04 “Fire”
05 “Sister”
06 “Doin’ Mints”
07 “Andy”
08 “Yellow Light”
09 “Bookends”
10 “Drunk Dreams”
11 “Gone Good”
12 “Friends’ Band”

Songs For Money is out digitally 12/8 via Salinas, with vinyl arriving in the spring. Pre-order it here.