For a while now, Toronto fuzz-poppers PONY have been on a serious run. Since last year, Sam Bielanski and Matty Morand have been releasing a whole series of excellent one-off singles. Next month, those singles — “Did It Again,” “Peach,” “French Class,” “Très Jolie” — will appear on Velveteen, PONY’s follow-up to their 2021 debut album TV Baby. Today, we get another one.

“Sucker Punch” is a big, bright anthem that stacks up Sam Bielanski’s harmonies into the sky. The lyrics are all about when someone leaves you suddenly shocked and bereft, and the music recalls prime Veruca Salt. If this was the mid-’90s, your local alt-rock station would’ve already put this one into at least medium rotation. Here’s what Bielanski says about the song:

Initially, “Sucker Punch” was written about the “Pine Barrens” episode of The Sopranos. It had to exist in a few different forms before it became what you hear on the record. Matty’s ability to write and layer guitar parts and melodies really added to the song’s aesthetic. Thematically, it’s about a massive miscommunication that leaves you feeling blindsided by the person on the other end. It’s about being caught off guard or surprised by an outcome, even if you are partially to blame.

Listen to “Sucker Punch” below.

Velveteen is out 5/19 on Take This To Heart Records; pre-order it here.