Stream: Cheekface, ‘The Fringe’

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Cheekface (Photo by Miriam Brummel)

Cheekface winkingly refer to themselves as “America’s Local Band.” America should be so lucky.

Currently reigning as the Crown Royals of Speak-Singing, the L.A. trio return today with their first single (discounting some B-sides) since releasing their third album, “Too Much to Ask,” last August. On the new single, “The Fringe,” the question in front them seems to be, “If they did become America’s thing, would they be less … authentic?”

Don’t bet your avocado toast on it. “Success is cringe!” lead motormouth Greg Katz exclaims giddily in the chorus.

Please, discuss:

“Even if you don’t think you’re knowingly capitulating to the demands of later capitalism, success in your career or field kind of feels like selling out,” says Katz, explaining that the song originated in a discussion between him and bassist Amanda Tannen. “Like, work, or art, or whatever feels somehow more authentic, or just better, if other people don’t like it, or if you’re failing. And maybe it feels like a badge of honor to just reject success altogether, and because of that, there’s maybe an impulse to self-sabotage, like, to do things on purpose that you know will not succeed. Also, this song has a nice guitar solo in my opinion, although I am biased, because I played it.”

||| Stream: “The Fringe”

||| Also: Stream “Too Much to Ask” in its entirety

||| Previously: “Pledge Drive,” “Featured Singer,” “We Need a Bigger Dumpster,” “Emphatically No,” Emotional Rent Control,” Quarantunes/”Reward Points”