Friday Freebie: Nervous Dater - Don't Be a Stranger

When Weakened Friends recently announced their huge mega-tour, New York's Nervous Dater was set as the opener. Of course I immediately decided to check them out. If you didn't, then you really need to hurry up.

A great starting point is their 2017 release Don't Be a Stranger. It's this beautifully perfect indie rock record. If you're already into Weakened Friends, it will be pretty much impossible for Nervous Dater to not work for you. The bands each have their own sounds, but there is enough overlap to interest you. The album's opener, "Bad Spanish," might have been a frontrunner for song of 2017 if I had known of it. It's all indie rock attitude and distortion, while being settled in a groove with one of the catchiest choruses I've heard in years ("All right, I said, I'll bash your fucking head," if I heard it correctly...). "Pigeon Language" is an indie power ballad, if such a thing can even exist. "Vominos" might be the jangliest song in existence. It's just fast and fun. Every song on Don't Be a Stranger is a lesson in how to craft a perfect little indie pop rock song. 

You can listen to "Bad Spanish" below. Don't Be a Stranger is currently available for the "name your price" option on Bandcamp. If you choose the free option, be sure to at least give the band a follow on Facebook and Twitter.