The early-’80s post-punk band Pylon were a hugely important force in the same Athens, Georgia scene that produced R.E.M. and the B-52’s. Pylon broke up in 1983 and then reunited a few times over the years, but that stopped when guitarist Randy Bewley died in 2009. Since 2014, former Pylon singer Vanessa Briscoe Hay has been leading Pylon Reenactment Society, a new band that features members of Supercluster and Casper & The Cookies. Pylon Reenactment Society play old Pylon songs, and they also play their own originals. Early next year, they’ll release a debut album of their own.

Vanessa Briscoe Hay co-produced the forthcoming LP Magnet Factory with her bandmate Jason NeSmith. B-52’s singer Kate Pierson guests on one song, and the band revives a couple of old Pylon obscurities, including the first single “3 x 3.” Pylon originally wrote the track in 1979, but they never recorded it. It’s a jumpy, nervy party song, and it evokes a bygone era while still sounding fresh. Below, check out the “3 x 3” video and the Magnet Factory tracklist.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Spiral”
02 “Educate Me”
03 “Flowers Everywhere”
04 “Messenger”
05 “3 x 3”
06 “Fix It: (Feat. Kate Pierson)
07 “Boom Boom”
08 “Heaven (In Your Eyes)”
09 “No Worries”
10 “Compression”
11 “I’ll Let You Know”

Magnet Facotry is out 2/9/24 on Strolling Bones Records.