Fugue State - In The Lurch SM070

Fugue State - In The Lurch SM070
Vinyl and Cassette

Western Massachusetts has a new face of weirdo punk in the likes of Fugue State, who are slated to release their debut LP "In The Lurch" in the spring of 2025 with support from Philadelphia label Strange Mono.

Originating in 2022 as a solo project of songwriter Shane Bruno (Bridge of Flowers), the music of FUGUE STATE is drenched in cavernous echo, searing Soviet fuzz, and raw urgency, accosting the listener through a makeshift telephone mic about ruminations on themes of existential peril, hometown blight, relationships, and other stream of consciousness pontificating.

"In The Lurch" marks Fugue State's full band debut. Bruno originally recruited Gage O'Brien and fellow Bridge of Flowers comrade Jon Hanson to form a band and reanimate the 2023 six-song EP "Subtlety's Dead" for live performance. This proved so successful that they managed to churn out enough material to fill out a record, doing so in urgent process.

The resulting effort elaborates on the first release and draws on influences like Pere Ubu and Roxy Music, focused through the lens of contemporary garage rock, punk, and psychedelia. The band's live sound has drawn comparisons to Butthole Surfers, Crime, The Flesh Eaters, and "The Gun Club if they took mushrooms instead of dope."

Adding to their eclectic sound, In The Lurch features guest appearances by Wednesday Knudsen (Pigeons, Stella Kola) on tenor saxophone and Vigilance Brandon (Trance Macabre) on trumpet, showcasing the band's openness to unconventional instrumentation.

The LP will be released on a one-off pressing of 200 vinyl records via Fugue State and Strange Mono. There will also be a limited cassette release, with proceeds supporting mutual aid funds. Fugue State is building a unique niche in the punk genre by blending raw energy, experimental noise, and a DIY ethos that is sure to resonate with weirdo music fans.