Beach Slang

Music Park: Quiet Slang @ Rock and Roll Hotel — 7/12/18

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James Alex of Quiet Slang pours out his heart at the Rock and Roll Hotel on July 12, 2018. (Photo by David LaMason)

Beach Slang — the loud, driving, heart-on-your sleeve band led by James Alex — has been making their brand of Replacements-tinged powerpunk for a few years now. Beyond the rough and noisy exterior, Beach Slang songs are about connecting with the feeling of being different or an outsider or being yourself despite what others think.

But there’s a soft center to that hard exterior. So when James Alex announced the new quiet focus on Beach Slang songs with a project called Quiet Slang, it seemed like a natural extension. The resulting album, Everything Matters But No One Is Listening, is a beautiful retelling that sounds natural instead of forced, particularly when presented at Rock and Roll Hotel on Thursday.

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Don’t Miss: Quiet Slang @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 7/12/18

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Quiet Slang (Photo by Charlie Lowe)

Editors Note: This show was originally scheduled for May 19.

James Alex of Beach Slang releases an album under the banner of Quiet Slang on May 18. Quiet Slang then launches a tour in June, presenting some of the new songs from Everything Matters But No One Is Listening, to be published by Polyvinyl Record Co., with a stop at Rock and Roll Hotel on Thursday, July 12.

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Music Park: Top 10 Concerts of 2017 by David

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Lee Ranaldo kicks off a year of great music at the Rock and Roll Hotel on Jan. 20, 2017. (Photo by David LaMason)

The year 2017 has been full of contradictions. For many, myself included, it was a year filled with uncertainty and frustration, but to a certain degree it also woke people up. And the music that was created was some of the best in years.

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Music Park: Beach Slang @ Black Cat — 11/28/17

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Beach Slang pour their hearts out at Black Cat on Nov. 28, 2017. (Photo by David LaMason)

It goes without saying that Beach Slang have been having a difficult year. There was the well-publicized changes in band members in 2016, immediately followed by the first of two thefts where all of their gear was stolen. The second coming this past month in Seattle where their tour van was stolen. But it’s a testament to the spirit of Beach Slang that they not merely continue on or go through the motions, but they consistently play some of the best heart-on-your-sleeve-seat-of-your-pants rock ‘n’ roll every night. And at Black Cat, James Alex and Company poured out those hearts on Tuesday.

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Don’t Miss: Beach Slang @ Black Cat, 11/28/17

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Beach Slang (Photo by Helen Messenger)

Last year, Beach Slang released A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings, their second full-length album, and followed that up with I Made This for You, Vol. 2, their second covers mixtape, in February. Over that time, frontman James Alex and his new fashion punk bandmates toured incessantly, and they stage a return to Black Cat on Tuesday, Nov. 28, on their Drunk or Lust Tour 2017.

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Music Park: Beach Slang @ Black Cat — 3/24/17

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Beach Slang 03 James Alex fronts a new Beach Slang at Black Cat on March 24, 2017.

James Alex of Beach Slang found himself in an unexpected situation when he performed at Black Cat last October. He came solo on the heels of the band’s second studio album, A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings, released in September via Polyvinyl.

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Don’t Miss: Beach Slang @ Black Cat, 3/24/17

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Beach Slang (Photo by Charlie Lowe)

The new and improved Beach Slang returned to the United States last night, and they are making a beeline to DC to open for Minus the Bear at Black Cat on Friday, March 24. The show is sold out, but make sure to arrive early for Beach Slang if you’re already going!

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Snapshots: Beach Slang and Bleached @ Black Cat — 10/11/16

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BeachSlang1James Alex takes to the stage solo at the Black Cat Tuesday. (Photo by Kristie Chua)

Beach Slang and Bleached announced a shared tour earlier this year and launched it at the Black Cat on Tuesday.

To the surprise of many, however, Bleach Slang band leader James Alex revealed only hours prior to the show that he would undertake the tour alone and without his three bandmates.

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Don’t Miss: Beach Slang @ Black Cat, 10/11/16

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Beach Slang (Photo courtesy Grandstand Media & Management)

Philadelphia punk trio Beach Slang make impressively dynamic punk, at turns explosive or reflective.

James Alex (vocals, guitar), Ed McNulty (bass), and Ruben Gallego (guitar) play songs about finding your place or making your way forward on their second full-length album, A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings, released Sept. 23 via Polyvinyl Records. Beach Slang are touring to promote the record, and they stop at the Black Cat on Tuesday, Oct. 11.

By Beach Slang’s account, “teenage feelings” consist a lot of looking out for yourself but they also involve a heck of a lot of energy. The new song “Atom Bomb” for example is a wonderful two-minute rock-n-roll celebration of feeling larger than life.

Listen to “Atom Bomb” by Beach Slang on Soundcloud:

“We need endorphin-heavy, heart-on-sleeve, major-chord, grin-inducing punk rock right now. I mean we need it. There’s a goddamn duty of care: punk has to hold people to account and spit against authority, but sometimes you need to smile like an idiot and let go,” Noisey said of Beach Slang.

The punk gents of Beach Slang are touring with the punk ladies of Bleached on a double bill at the Black Cat. (Revisit our review of Bleached from their show at DC9 in April.) California rockers Hunny open the show.

Tickets are available online.

Beach Slang & Bleached
w/ Hunny
Black Cat
Tuesday, Oct. 11
Doors @7:30pm
$16/$18
All ages