Can you hear it? The throb of Kendall Wind’s manic bass? Sam Qaurtin’s sinewy vocal growls? The energy and attitude can only mean one thing. The Bobby Lees are back.
The New York punk rock stars – now a trio, with Macky Bowman still banging the drums – are set to release their first album since 2022’s Bellevue in June. In between, they broke up for a while. But now they are returning, and I can hardly wait.
On Friday, they dropped the third single from New Self, the band’s fourth feature release, and the first without original guitarist Nick Casa. Casa’s contributions could certainly be missed, but if those first three singles are indicative of what New Self has in store for us, the band and their fans are going to be just fine.
The Bobby Lees update a PJ Harvey classic in their new single
The first two singles from New Self – the title track and “Napoleon” – are already gems. The single “New Self” flirts with Beastie Boys swagger, while “Napoleon” is a spectacular self-lacerating examination of the troubles that almost ended the band just as they were catching fire.
On the new track, “50 Ft,” they turn their attention to a PJ Harvey classic from more than 30 years ago. Harvey’s original, entitled “50ft Queenie,” was an explosive statement back in 1993.
Harvey was about to disband her very creative trio and set out on a solo career that would expand her musical horizons. As a statement of empowerment, it was like a blast of fresh air, jarring the grungy boys club that was dominating rock and roll at the time.
The Bobby Lees' version swaps out Harvey’s thrashing guitar for Wind's other-worldly bass runs that are equal parts melodic and psychotic.
Quartin’s vocals intertwine with that bass, at times matching the mania and desperation. If she is even playing guitar on the track, I don’t really even notice it.
Meanwhile, Bowman’s drums keep the song tenuously anchored to something, relying mostly on more bass thumps. The intermittent high-hats ring over the way Casa’s guitar used to color songs on the band’s earlier albums.
This must be the most bass-dominant single of 2026. In addition to Wind’s overwhelming sound and Bowman’s added bottom, Quartin uses her vocals almost as if she were a singing bass. The result is the most throbbing song of the year, and once you hear it, you will be ready to hit the club and start tossing body parts to and fro.
Exactly when you might get that chance remains up in the air. As of this writing, the Bobby Lees have not announced plans for a 2026 tour. It seems almost impossible that they would not be seizing on the renewed interest that the first three tracks of New Self have already generated. Perhaps we will learn more after the album officially drops on June 12.
Of course, it could simply be a case of the Bobby Lees making us all wait to build up anticipation. If any modern punk outfit knows how to milk every ounce of drama out of a song or a moment, Quartin, Wind, and Bowman are that band.
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