The punk/power-pop vets will release their new self-titled double album later this month
California punk and power-pop vets Redd Kross have released a new single, “I’ll Take Your Word for It,” from their upcoming self-titled double album, out June 28 via In the Red Records.
“I’ll Take Your Word for It” recalls the sunny West Coast harmony and jangle of Sixties rock, though the chorus still lands a few punk-infused punches. In a statement, Redd Kross co-founder Steve McDonald said the song is “based on real events,” but not “any specific person.”
He added: “It’s an amalgamation of several types, that so-called friend that always seems to bring up the ex, or perhaps a working relationship that ended poorly despite your best and most earnest attempts at civility. ‘Are you my friend, are you my foe? I don’t know.’”
“I’ll Take Your Word for It” also arrives with a music video, directed by Steve Appleford, which finds the band performing the song on a Los Angeles hilltop with the Hollywood sign lurking in the background. “The video I suppose offers one possible antidote for this situation,” McDonald said of the clip’s relation to the song. “When you’re contemplating telling your nemesis to take a hike, maybe it’s smarter to put on your best suit, matching bass, and matching band (if you’re as lucky as I am) and take a hike yourself. That’s what I did and it made me feel so much better.”
Redd Kross’ upcoming double-album marks the band’s first LP since 2019’s Beyond the Door. The group has an extensive tour scheduled this summer in support of the LP, starting July 2 at the Casbah in San Diego and wrapping Aug. 13 at the Lodge Room in Los Angeles. The run also includes sets at Azkena Rock Festival in Spain (June 21), Mosswood Meltdown in Oakland (July 6), and at the Merge 35th Anniversary Festival in Carrboro, North Carolina (July 24).
On top of all that, Redd Kross are also the subject of Andrew Reich’s new documentary, Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story, which has been making the film festival rounds this year. McDonald and his brother/bandmate Jeff will also tell their story in an upcoming memoir, Now You’re One of Us, which will be published Oct. 10.
