Since the release of debut album Why There Are Mountains in 2009, Cymbals Eat Guitars have risen from New York City’s underground to become one of the most sought after live acts in independent music. Emotional lyrics and intense flair from frontman Joseph D’Agostino anchors the quartet, while keyboardist Brian Hamilton, bassist Matt Whipple, and drummer Andrew Dole resonate pristine rhythms. They have a sound that’s reminiscent of alternative rock’s glory days of the ’90s while maintaining a modern pop edge. This Friday (September 16), Cymbals Eat Guitars officially release their fourth album Pretty Years, and over the weekend they’ll be making a couple of stops in New England.
Before they head to our neck of the woods, Cymbals Eat Guitars host their Pretty Years album release show Thursday night at the Music Hall Of Williamsburg in Brooklyn alongside fellow New Yorkers Field Mouse and Baltimore pop act Wildhoney. On the day of the album’s official release, Friday, they’ll be at Great Scott in Allston with the same lineup. Then on Saturday, they’ll be heading down to The Parlour in Providence with Field Mouse as part of 95.5 WBRU’s Exposure series to share the stage with local emo punks Darklands. All told, New Englanders get two chances to see one of the prime up-and-coming bands of the decade in intimate rock clubs before they embark on the rest of their fall tour. To put it lightly, they shouldn’t pass up the opportunity.
Pretty Years stands as one of the most anticipated releases of 2016 and the album shows Cymbals Eat Guitars not being afraid to venture into new musical territory. Give it a listen below via NPR’s “First Listen” premiere.
