Frenchy and the Punk - "Hypnotized"

Photo by Nicola Bee

Frenchy and the Punk is the current musical project of Samantha Stephenson and Scott Helland (Deep Wound, Guitarmy of One). The duo get compared to Siouxsie and the Banshees quite a bit, but that's mostly due to Stephenson's vocals. Their latest single, "Hypnotized," is based in post-punk, but it's a little more straight up rock than a lot of post-punk. This is a song that will instantly mesmerize you as soon as the guitar kicks in, and Stephenson's vocals will refuse to let you go. As dark and goth as a song like "Hypnotize" is, it's also refreshingly upbeat. Once you get past the comparisons, there's a lot to like about any Frenchy and the Punk release.

Scott Helland says of his band's new song:

"The song sprung from the opening grungy bass line that I played with an electro-acoustic hybrid guitar through octave and distortion pedals. The groove pulses beneath Samantha’s soaring vocals and lets up occasionally to allow me to growl the word 'Hypnotized'. I love that it’s a confounding track in that it hypnotizes you to move. We love to work with contrasts".

You can watch the video for "Hypnotize" below. Midnight Garden is due out June 28 on EA Recordings. For more on Frenchy and the Punk, check out the band's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

APR 25  Greenbelt, MD - New Deal Cafe
APR 27/28  Holly Springs, NC - Festival of Legends
APR 30  Richmond, VA - Black Iris Social Club
MAY 4  Washington, NJ - Rock n Roll SteamFest
MAY 18  Milton, PA - Reign of Terror Presents: World of Fae
MAY 19  Berkeley Springs, WV - Bringing in the May
MAY 21  Bristol, UK - The Exchange (with Miranda Sex Garden)
JUN 1  Wareham UK - Alice’s Wicked Tea Party
JUN 7  Morecambe, UK - A Splendid Day Out Festival
JUN 8   Newcastle, UK - Little Buildings
JUN 9  Edinburgh, UK - Banshee Labyrinth
JUN 14  Leicester, UK - Firebug
JUN 15  London, UK - Dublin Castle
JUN 17  Oxford, UK - Botley Taproom
JUN 22  Salem, MA - Darq Salem
JUL 11  Pomeroy, OH - Starwood Festival
JUL 13  Pittsburgh, PA - TBA
JUL 14  Columbus, OH - Dirty Dungarees Alt Music Space
JUL 17  Cincinnati, OH - The Comet
JUL 18  Detroit, MI - Corktown Tavern
JUL 19  Akron, OH - Buzzbin
JUL 20  Maple Heights, OH - Maple Grove Tavern
JUL 21  Dayton, OH - Blind Bob’s
JUL 23  St Louis, MO - Crack Fox
JUL 25  Cleveland, OH - Wizbang Theater
JUL 26  Sherman, NY - Sirius Rising Festival
SEPT 6   Pittsburgh, PA - Pitts Art Fest
SEPT 22  York, PA - Enchanted Festival
SEPT 26 Dark Castle Festival, Louisville, KY
OCT 5/6  Attleboro, MA - Jewelry City Festival
OCT 12  Upper Lake, CA - Hexenfest
OCT 25  Shepherdstown, WV - TBA
NOV 16  Baltimore, MD -  Fairy Scary Ball