New Rock*A*Teens Album Out June 29

It’s been a month of Sundays, but it suddenly seems like they’ve never been gone. On June 29th, Cabbagetown’s masters of reverb, the Rock*A*Teens, will unleash Sixth House, their first batch of new tuneage in 17 years.

Chris Lopez’s quartet – the same crew that exited stage right after 2001’s Noon Under the Trees EP – reconvened in 2014 to play some shows around the reissue of swansong LP Sweet Bird of Youth, as well as Merge Records’ 25th anniversary blowout. They’ve been quietly workshopping new material since, recorded in Avondale Estates, and here we are. Lopez claims Sixth House is less reliant on echo and other production trickery, but advance track “Go Tell Everybody” is unmistakably sweet, grimy Rock*A*Teens.

Michelle Dubois – she of R*A*Ts contemporaries Ultrababyfat and a dozen other Atlanta bands – plays a supporting role after having ridden shotgun for the reunion shows. Original drummer Chris Verene even returns to contribute his distinctive photography. Merge co-founder Laura Ballance’s favorite band on her label (OK, I’m embellishing a bit) will supposedly tour outside their home base for the first time in eons later this year.

Photo by Brett Falcon.