NYC quintet Bodega released a new thrash-punk EP under the name Nodega, entitled Rot In Helvetica. The 8 tracks on Rot In Helvetica merge old-school hardcore, thrash, skate punk, and melodic indie rock, featuring lyrics that range from the mind control of streaming services to the hope for self-critical change. As NODEGA, BODEGA shreds through modern disillusionment with unapologetic fury and a glimmer of defiant optimism. With the album, they share an official video for “Quantify,” about which they declare, “Obey your Wall Street and Silicon Valley masters and continue ranking (and quantifying via number or star) every experience.” 

Discussing the inspiration for Nodega, guitarist/vocalist Ben Hozie offered, “Last year Bodega put out a record called ‘Our Brand Could Be Yr Life’ which was more or less a concept record about the corporatization of ‘indie’ rock. While working on that record I revisited a lot of the canonical American indie bands (Dinosaur Jr., Pavement, Hüsker Dü, Sonic Youth, etc.) and was charmed to remember that all of those groups have a very deep connection to the ’80-’84 hardcore boom in the U.S. It’s sort of a similar story to the UK skiffle youth boom of 1957 that led directly to the British Invasion explosion in the sixties. For better or worse, a lot of what gets called ‘indie’ these days has zero connection to an underground anti status-quo state of mind and is more associated with easy listening folk pop.

Regardless of this pop history, I was surprised to realize how much I still adored a lot of the hardcore, skate punk, and thrash records I devoured as a teenager. I started to hear hardcore not just as cathartic anti-capitalist folk art but also as the logical extension of 50’s rock and roll ( ie. bratty teenage music played fast and loud) and was yearning to thrash towards a state of bratty beatitude. This mini-album was an attempt to liberate the wisdom, stupidity, and joy of the teenage state of mind. The teenager despises discussions about ‘Monthly Followers’ and Web 2.0 B(r)anding and they don’t prance through imaginary mental hoops to justify ignoring the ills of the meat industry or the current state-sponsored-genocide. They just say ‘No’.”

Bodega will celebrate the release of Rot In Helvetica tonight in New York City with an in-store performance at Rough Trade (6pm) along with a special showcase performance in London, August 2 at the Shacklewell Arms. Between, they perform additional UK dates culminating in Deer Shed Festival, followed by a special performance in Montreal, supporting Viagra Boys, September 22 [all dates below].

Tour Dates:

07/18 – New York, NY @ Rough Trade (6p)

07/23 – Manchester UK @ YES [SOLD OUT]

07/24 – Bristol, UK @ Trinity Centre/The Den

07/25 – Southampton, UK @ Papillon

07/26 – Bedford, UK @ Esquires

07/27 – Thirsk, UK @ Deer Shed Festival

08/02 – London, UK @ Shacklewell Arms [SOLD OUT]

09/22 – Montreal, PQ @ MTelus w/ Viagra Boys