NYC-based postpunk duo Frenchy and the Punk has released ‘Come In and Play’, an upbeat Siouxsie-esque delight and the second enchanting single from their forthcoming ‘Zen Ghost’ album. Their seventh long-player record, this will be released via the EA Recordings label on October 28.
Frenchy and the Punk is vocalist, percussionist and lyricist Samantha Stephenson and guitarist-composer Scott Helland, who was co-founder and bassist of Outpatients and also Deep Wound (along with Dinosaur Jr. founders J Mascis and Lou Barlow). Influenced by The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Blondie, Concrete Blonde and The B52’s, the duo thrive in their trademark blend of post-punk and dark folk music.
About ‘Come In and Play’, Samantha Stephenson says, “I was named after the character in Bewitched. My mom was a fan of the show. It sparked a curiosity and enthusiasm for all things mystical and magical from an early age. I could be quite solitary and eventually dove into a meditation practice. That feeling of going inward and exploring the inner workings of the esoteric realm always felt very comforting.”
Earlier, the band released the lead track ‘Mon Souvenir’, an unapologetically new wave nugget, propelled by chugging acoustic chords, that reflects the album’s central theme of transcending ‘mind phantoms’ – the experiences from the past that linger within all of us.
Dark times make for dark songs. ‘Zen Ghost’ was written and recorded during the downtime of 2020-2021. Here, the duo’s shadowy sound takes an even darker turn. An inward spin, into the pair’s previously unexplored personal planes and interpretations of the insanity of our increasingly tumultuous age. But despite its more pronounced moodiness, like the rest of the band’s oeuvre, ‘Zen Ghost’ offers plenty of opportunities to dance in the darkness.
Tapped as one of the Top 25 duos in the US by Yahoo! Music, the freewheeling pair has released numerous recordings, including the acclaimed albums ‘Happy Madness’ (2010), ‘Hey Hey Cabaret’ (2012), ‘Elephant Uproar’ (2013), ‘Cartwheels’ (2014), ‘Bonjour Batfrog’ (2014), and ‘Hooray Beret’ (2019).
French-born, but raised in the UK and USA, Stephenson’s study of piano and dance ignited her eventual rejection of corporate conformity and fueled a quest to lead a truly autonomous life through art and music. A son of jazz-loving teachers, Helland grew up in Western Massachusetts and was a vital player on the region’s fertile early hardcore punk scene.
Helland and Stephenson met in NYC in 1998, when Stephenson spontaneously jumped on stage to accompany Helland during his solo guitar performance. The artistic union was immediate, powerful and undeniable. The two began to tour with fevered zeal, turning heads with their striking aesthetic, steadily building fervent fans on the mystical-folk/steampunk festival, coffeehouse, convention, and club circuits with their boisterous, revival-like live shows.
Since then, they’ve performed live with Dead Can Dance’s Peter Ulrich and Dresden Dolls’ Brian Viglione, and opened for Thomas Dolby, Dinosaur Jr., The World Inferno Friendship Society, Rasputina, Cruxshadows, Hurray For The Riff Raff and The Young Dubliners.
‘Come in and Play’ is now out everywhere, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp, where ‘Mon Souvenir’ can also be found. The ‘Zen Ghost’ album will be released on October 28 and is available for pre-order digitally via Bandcamp and on CD via the band’s website.
“Zen Ghost” tracklist
1. Mon Souvenir
2. Temple of Sleep
3. If the World Doesn’t End First
4. Gear Geist
5. Church of Sound
6. Come In and Play
7. Paradise Found
8. Blood
9. Oxygen
10. I’ll See You Again
