Tired Radio are Feeling “Lousy, thanks.” on New EP

Hailing from Brooklyn, Tired Radio consist of “1 big guy, 1 small guy and 2 medium guys.” Their tongue-in-cheek approach have set them apart from other bands within the genre, which was first exemplified on their first record (2020’s Patterns). Formed by lead singer “self-confessed professional crybaby” Anthony Truzzolino, their music is an intriguing concoction of punk, emo, Americana, and alternative influences.

Lousy, thanks. is a natural evolution of their sound, pairing their self-aware emo-revival lyricism with noisy, gloriously messy shredding. Its opening track is a worthy follow-up to their 2017 single “Dead & Gone.” Subtitled “The Sequel (Mo’ Dead Mo’ Gone),” the re-up is heavier and more unapologetically dramatic than its predecessor. “I’ll go out the way I came,” Truzzolino croons, “a bag of bones, a busted brain / I’ve been living with a beat-up heart for way too long.” The words feel genuine, even if Truzzolino’s real emotions are being extrapolated upon, powered by his shaky, emotive vocalizations.

Part of the band’s mission statement is to “deliver blue-collar anthem after anthem after anthem,” fueled by “passion, power, and infectious energy.” Even when the words being sung are dire, Tired Radio’s sonic choices are far from lifeless. Their sense of humor cuts through their state-of-the-world grievances, especially in the cleverly-titled standout “Tales of a Cosmic Schmuck.” In a style reminiscent of the Midwest emo subgenre, Truzzolino recalls: “I met a psychic in St. Louis / And everything she said was fucking bullshit.” The song takes us through his mind, where nothing he does to try and improve his mental state seems to work. Instead of just whining into a mic, the band provides hyperspecific anecdotes to outline his personal struggles in a relatable (yet unique) way.

The project seems to be an account of Truzzolino’s acceptance that life can suck, and how he comes to terms with it. He grows through life with negative feelings but juxtaposes them with his blend of sarcasm and wit. The title track laments faking your feelings to please others, revealing his conceit: “So when someone asks me — / ‘Hey man, how you doing?’ / I’m doing fine.” These words end Lousy, thanks. on a bittersweet note, unveiling his true intentions while reminding listeners that he is, in fact, not doing fine.

With this EP, the band digs into the roots of emo-rock in their writing whilst pursuing their own lane of punk in their instrumentation. Lousy, thanks. is available now on major streaming platforms like YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp, and can be found on the Alchemical Records Multigenre Mixture Playlist.