Punk used to celebrate “no future,” but that’s not a banner that Damn Jackals is willing to wave. Yes, the group — Beau Croxton (lead vocals/guitar), Sean Burke (guitar/vocals/keys), Max Motchan (guitar), Sean McCann (bass), and Mike Goehler (drums) – weaves punk’s gritty sound throughout their new song, “Swoon,” but they leave the nihilism behind. It’s a celebration of those willing to fight against seemingly insurmountable odds to make things somewhat better. It’s a high-voltage shock to the pleasure centers inside your brain, and it’s hard not to feel motivated after listening to its undeniable groove.
“The song was written in 2019 when there was a lot of political and climate-change related anxiety in the States,” Beau Croxton tells HollywoodLife. “Lyrically, I was trying to applaud progressive people who challenge norms. It’s an “I love you” to people who put forward actions that make even the slightest of differences in bettering the world…rather than just being ‘all talk’ and being more concerned with validation about their own opinions on the situation. This one is for the doers!”
Croxton tells HollywoodLife that the band “tested this song out live on the road a bunch of times before we recorded it.” Clearly, the audience loved the energy within the track – like a 3:41 surge of caffeinated joy – and the band hit the studio. However, nothing will beat seeing Damn Jackals play it in person. “It’s a really fun vehicle for our guitarists to let loose in a live setting, especially our lead guitarist Max Motchan, who definitely went buck wild on his guitar solo on the recording,” shares Croxton. “We had our first crowd surfer during his solo for this song at our last gig. It was heaps of fun!”
“Swoon” marks the second release from the band’s upcoming EP, Rivals. Due out in July, Rivals marks Damn Jackals’ first vinyl record, a triple-threat of fuzzy proto-punk rock dynamite. The Brooklyn-based band is equal parts glam rock, CBGBs punk, and late ’60s garage rock. Their debut LP, Crooked Castle, Vol. 1, arrived in 2018. Since then, they’ve been building a reverb-soaked buzz with exciting performances and a rock sound that is distinctively New York City, born and bred. Though the pandemic might have delayed their ascension to rock superstardom, the band is ready to hit the road and make audiences around the world “swoon.”