Over the past few years, the northeast has been a hot bed of bands producing intricate, thoughtful indie-rock. Hailing from New Hampshire, Rick Rude may not be the most recognizable name—at least not yet—but the band’s built a back catalog that fits in nicely with bands like Speedy Ortiz and Krill. Today, The A.V. Club is premiering “Ow For Now,” a song from the band’s sophomore album, Make Mine Tuesday, which will be released by Sophomore Lounge and Tiny Radar Records on January 20. The song sees bassist-vocalist Jordan Holtz opening up about how, for her, it’s a struggle to even make music:
I started having trouble with my hands a few years back when I really started getting into playing bass, come to find out that I had carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome in both my left and right hands. I felt really defeated by the fact that I had found something that I was so passionate about and wanted to do constantly but couldn’t/shouldn’t. “Ow For Now” serves as a proclamation of acceptance and an establishment of motive to do everything possible to make it work.
The song is sees Holtz channeling all that anguish into a song that sees her playing through the pain. She makes plenty of references to the fact that her self-described “brittle bones” are still capable of making something beautifully affecting. “Ow For Now” plays off the fact that bodies inevitably decline, but it doesn’t mean creativity does as well. Holtz guides the song to a big, riff-heavy crescendo, showing the power that can come out of a pair of aching hands.
Pre-orders for Make Mine Tuesday are available now, and Rick Rude’s upcoming tour dates can be found below.
Rick Rude tour dates
1/7—3S Artspace—Portsmouth, NH
1/12—The Apohadion—Portland, ME
1/13—O’Briens—Boston, MA
1/14—The Monkey House—Winooski, VT
1/19—Shea Stadium—Brooklyn, NY
1/20—New Planet—Philadelphia, PA
1/21—Loners Club—Baltimore MD