Photo by Dan Bassini
Teen Suicide- Genre-Blurring Bandcamp Gurus
Initially formed in 2009 by songwriter/guitarist/youth-whisperer Sam Ray, Teen Suicide is a Maryland-based band that combines the lo-fi shreddings of The Wavves with the visionary ambition of Arcade Fire. Dipping their toes in everything from indie rock, emo, punk, and dream pop, Ray and co. make it clear they aren’t planning on settling into any one sound, making for a challenging yet rewarding experience for loyal listeners.
Sam Ray
With the help of Run for Cover Records, they’ve been able to do just that—carving out a devoted audience on music streaming and sales site Bandcamp, which has kept the band on the “Best Selling” page since the April 1 release of their second studio album It’s a Big Joyous Celebration, Let’s Stir the Honeypot.
Dripping with self-deprecation and self-therapy, Honeypot is a 26-track experiment that’s not afraid to throw everything at the wall—and it’s shocking how much of it sticks. The best way to pitch it is as a poetic and static-ridden fever dream that’s best listened to when alone in the dark.
It also marks the last album Teen Suicide is likely to release under their current moniker, which the 24-year old Sam Ray describes as “a dumb name we chose…a long time ago.” Thankfully, Ray and all current members of Teen Suicide—Sean Mercer, John Toohey, and Alec Simke—have promised to continue producing music under a yet to be announced name, so stay tuned.
The band that will be formerly known as Teen Suicide will be opening for Say Anything on their upcoming U.S. tour, starting April 20.
