Special Interest infuse punk and disco with hard-hitting social themes

New Orleans punk band Special Interest have been blowing wigs back since 2018, when they dropped their debut record, Spiraling, a chaotic romp through hard-hitting social themes and wildly divergent musical directions. On “Young, Gifted, Black, in Leather” the sentiment is self-explanatory, yet the mighty wails of vocalist Alli Logout peel back new layers of meaning in an iconic ode to Blackness, wrapping a sample from a vintage Nina Simone interview in modern sounds, kink, and a fury born of oppression.

Special Interest’s tunes are sometimes punk, sometimes industrial, sometimes glam, and always so endearingly rough around the edges that you don’t mind them pushing you around. Their new record, Endure (Rough Trade), shines free of rules or boxes; it’s quintessentially punk, though you can turn a corner and find yourself in the middle of a thumping disco set with electronic dance beats smacking you upside the head. Their lineup also includes synth and drum-machine player Ruth Mascelli, bassist Nathan Cassiani, and guitarist Maria Elena, whose fusion results in tunes that feel simultaneously stripped-down and full. Logout’s lyrics overflow with socioeconomic angst, let-your-hair-down debauchery, alienation, and rage—and hit all points in between. Endure is scornful, horny, and pulsating in its acceptance of and resistance to our fates, whatever they may be. “Midnight Legend,” which features rapper Mykki Blanco, is a delightful surprise and a bouncy good time. With Special Interest, you can always expect the unexpected, but you’d better believe they’re doing it for them—it’s a treat that we get to witness them kick ass.

Special Interest CB Radio Gorgeous and Conjunto Primitivo open. Wed 11/30, 8:30 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, $18, 21+

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