Mediocre, the Los Angeles-based rock duo of guitarist/vocalist Piper Torrison (she/they) and bassist / vocalist Keely Martin (she/her), offer scorching indie rock meditations with their hotly anticipated debut album Growth Eater (Dangerbird Records), due out September 27. Seeking comfort in an increasingly uncomfortable world, the irresistibly catchy collection commands listeners to the dancefloor as they infuse ideas of broad existentialism, dystopia and restlessness into commentary on how that angst spills over into daily life. 

Arriving alongside an official video, lead single “Fun Time Fix (We Go Go)” beckons in a little escapism while inviting listeners to dance away their troubles. The band shares, “Sometimes everyone needs a light-hearted time with friends, where you put whatever is causing you pain aside and let go. In the context of the album, which comments on the discomfort of growth, Fun Time Fix highlights the joy and beauty that exists amid all the growing pains. We were inspired by early 2000s dance pop that acted as soundtracks of our early adolescent years and wanted to hone in on that nostalgia and what role it plays for blissful distraction during these current times in our adult lives.”

After writing songs during their overlapping one-year stint in Boston—inspired by the cerebral pop arrangements of Tegan and Sara’s The Con, the clean, poignant vocals of Jenny Lewis, and the yearning, hopeful indie rock of Broken Social Scene—Mediocre joined drummer Jake Pavlica and producer Danny Nogueiras (Together Pangea, No Win) in his Glassell Park studio with the goal of playful experimentation and with more confidence than ever. They emerged with a searingly thick power pop record that darts seamlessly between ‘00s dance-punk grooves, brazen pop ballads and blistering guitar lines.

The album title Growth Eater, can be understood from numerous lenses, such as the harmful ways we eat away at ourselves, and by extension, the opportunity for positive growth when one finds the strength to sever bad habits that feast on our well-being. Forming Mediocre as high school sophomores best friends Piper Torrison and Keely Martin have faced huge life changes together. With timeless pop hooks, a mutual love and respect for each other and the world they have built, Growth Eater provides solace and solid ground to stay planted as the world finds new rugs to pull out from underneath you.

Photo Courtesy: Ginger Port