Francis Quinlan has been releasing music for years as Hop Along, Queen Ansleis. For the past few years, though, she’s shortened the name to just Hop Along, steering her sound away from lo-fi freak-folk and into high-powered indie rock. While their last record was a total cult-sleeper hit, the buzz surrounding their sophomore album Painted Shut promises wide-spread recognition for Hop Along. Francis and her brother Mike take from their divergent backgrounds in folk and hardcore to make Hop Along’s unique brand of alternative punk, one that more than anything is beaming with urgency. On the new album’s first single, “Waitress”, Francis Quinlan’s cracking vocals roar in clambering melodies that capsize when she sings “I just wish you and your friends would leave.”
Painted Shut will be available May 5 on Saddle Creek. You can stream “Waitress” below.
