NYC rock torchbearers, The Thing, release second set of a/b-sides from upcoming record

TORCHBEARERS OF THE NYC ROCK SCENE, THE THING, RELEASES SECOND SET OF A/B-SIDES  FROM UPCOMING RECORD  STREAM “CAN YOU HELP ME?” AND “FAMILY BUSINESS”   OFFICIAL VIDEOS FOR BOTH TRACKS OUT LATER TODAY UNVEILING SINGLES TWO AT A TIME UNTIL  THEIR THIRD LP THE THING IS OUT IN FULL THIS SUMMER SUPPORTING WINE LIPS IN NYC THIS MAY BEFORE  EMBARKING ON EUROPEAN TOUR — SEE ALL DATES HERE RECENT RAVES FROM ROLLING STONE AT SXSW + THE COVER OF SPOTIFY’S FRESH FINDS ROCK

Press photo by Seana Adame  “Splitting the difference between classic garage skronk and a metallic murk that eschews doom for grime, The Thing can sometimes seem at war with their own desires: They’re as eager to play heavy riffs as they are to deliver a clean melodic punch.”

“...a chaotic journey through fuzzed-out melodies that create an enticing wall of sound that continually evolves throughout...”

“New York psych/garage outfit The Thing are deeply DIY.”

The Thing, one of New York’s most provocative rock bands, today releases the second set of A/B-sides from their upcoming self-titled LP, “Can You Help Me?” and “Family Business,” both with official videos out later in the day. Arriving two songs at a time, The Thing will be out in full this summer. The album is fully analog, tracked live to tape without the use of a computer, and sees The Thing really reaching their full form — Stream today’s new tracks.  An unforgettable staple of the band’s live show, “Can You Help Me?” is The Thing’s first song where all three verses are sung by alternating band members, and one of the first tracks written for the record. Rotating their stage positions, the band makes the sheer depth of their talent and coolness look so nonchalant, and elicits a sense of locked-in awe from the crowd every single time.   Frontman Zane Acord shared that, “The inspiration behind ‘Can You Help Me?’ stems from the feeling of discontentment when you have other people do things for you. Whether it is having other people ‘give you a song’ or control your thoughts and life.” Then comes “Family Business.” Rattling off a vivid cast of characters, this is one of the songs where it’s easy to sit back and take in the type of songwriting skills it takes to wedge a full story into an under three minutes package. Torchbearers of the current NYC scene, The Thing is the vanguard of what the city’s rock history means under a modern lens. Guitarist Michael Carter likened “Family Business” to the quirky imagery of The Royal Tenenbaums. He said, “This song has a new sound to it that we haven't gotten into before — it’s a little more angular and a little more dry.” Also from the LP, they’ve previously shared “Above Snakes” and “Dave’s TV.” Resilient and untethered, the two tracks quickly caught traction earning the band the cover of Spotify’s Fresh Finds Rock and editorial nods from All New Rock and New Noise. Fresh off a whirlwind week at Austin, TX’s SXSW, The Thing will join Wine Lips for two shows in New York City this May before they head over to Europe. While playing internationally, the band will make stops at Relache Festival in France, Best Kept Secret in The Netherlands and the sold out Freak Valley Festival in Germany. Tickets for The Thing’s upcoming tour are on sale now here.  UPCOMING TOUR DATES NORTH AMERICA May 1 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge (supporting Wine Lips) May 2 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge (supporting Wine Lips) EUROPE May 29 - Belgrade, Serbia - KC GRAD May 30 - Novi Sad, Serbia - Foxtrot // Munster Party May 31 - Budapest, Hungary - Szimpla Kert June 1 - Zagreb, Croatia - Močvara June 4 - Perpignan, France - Le Nautilus June 5 - Zaragoza, Spain - La Lata De Bombillas June 6  - Bordeaux, France – Relache Festival  June 7 - Sopelana, Spain - La Atalaia de Gardoki June 9 - Seignosse, France - Black Flag June 10 - Nantes, France - Venue TBA June 12 - London, England - The Shacklewell Arms June 13 - Nottingham, England - JT Soar June 14 - Amiens, France - Péniche Célestine June 15 - Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands – Best Kept Secret Festival  June 16 - Kusel, Germany - Kinett June 17 -  Brussels, Belgium - La Source June 18 - Berlin, Germany - Neue Zukunft June 19 - Siegen, Germany – Freak Valley Festival  June 20 - Frankfurt, Germany - Dreikönigskeller June 21 - Memmingen, Germany - Mood Club See all dates here