Hey, ily – “Stress Headache”
The Billings, Montana band hey, ily have an extremely online shapeshifting sound that will appeal to you if you dig hyperactive chiptune-adjacent emo bands like Crying and Glass Beach. “Intrusive Thoughts Always,” the lead single from their debut album Psychokinetic Love Songs, morphed from poppy emo to saucy jazz to proggy thrash metal. The next single is a bit more straightforward, but coming directly after “Intrusive Thoughts Always” on the tracklist, it feels like a left turn. Or maybe a right turn? A turn nonetheless.
“Stress Headache” delves deep into “Jessie’s Girl”-style power-pop without abandoning the band’s hyperpop-inflected arena rock vibes. Caleb Haynes also shouts “GUITAR!” in falsetto before the guitar solo like Justin Hawkins from the Darkness. It’s a lot of fun, and you can hear it below.
Psychokinetic Love Songs is out 4/29 via Lonely Ghost.