One of NYC’s most vital, new rock voices, The Thing has announced their self-titled album will be released on August 6 with the release of “Mr. Useless” and “The Waltz.” As reverent of the city’s gritty past as they are hungry to reinvent it, the new double-single marks the third release from the album rollout — unveiling The Thing in packages of A/B-sides. Recorded entirely analog, self-produced, and tracked live to tape without the use of a computer, the result is The Thing at their most immediate and unfiltered .
In the Byrds-tinged “Mr. Useless,” The Thing employs David Bowie’s cut-and-paste lyrical method to tell a story about “finding meaning in life, as opposed to sitting and watching and waiting for fate to step in,” according to guitarist Michael Carter.
“The Waltz” is one of those songs you remember what you were doing the first time you heard it. Soul-stirring and cinematic, it moves at a molasses-sweet pace until lead singer Zane Acord punches through with the strained “I hate the way I love you.” Then following his cue, the rest of the band goes into total overdrive before one hell of a release. Acord shared that he “wrote about a toxic relationship: even though it’s bad for you, you love it.”
With each set of singles released, the accompanying artwork is one piece of the puzzle that will eventually build out the album artwork.
Known for their relentless work ethic, dynamic live shows and staunchly DIY ethos, The Thing are torchbearers of the current NYC scene, and a vanguard of what the city’s rock history means under a modern lens. Formed in New York City in 2022, the band have since played more than 300 shows across North America and Europe.
