Photo by Madelyn Barkocy

Queens-based quartet Bummer Camp has officially moved past the bedroom-pop horizon with their sophomore album, Fake My Death, out now via Trash Casual. What began as a solo loop project for frontman Eli Frank has fully blossomed into a formidable four-piece, trading lo-fi sketches for a high-fidelity blend of shoegaze and grunge that feels both massive and meticulously focused.

Recorded at The Animal Farm studio in New Jersey with the prolific Jon “Steel Wolf” Markson (who recorded, mixed, and contributed bass and production), the record benefits from a sense of urgency that only a professional studio clock can provide. The result is a tighter, more intentional sound that still finds room for the “weird” textures and spontaneous percussion that give the band its unique character.

The thematic heart of Fake My Death lies in the friction between modern anxiety and the instinct to flee. The title itself and the standout track “Perfect Storm” explore the heavy desire to tune the world out entirely.

“’Wanna fake my death cause I can’t stomach anything’ is a line from the song ‘Perfect Storm,'” explains Eli Frank. “The desire to tune everything out to such a point that you just want to actually disappear forever is not going to help anything, especially yourself. You gotta take the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, and roll with it. In my opinion, whether you’re being punched or hugged, feeling something is better than not feeling anything at all.”

Musically, the album delivers on the promise of its lead singles. “One Bullet” serves as a hook-driven anthem that wouldn’t feel out of place on a 1990s 120 Minutes broadcast, while “Too Far” highlights the chemistry of a band that has spent enough time in the room together to push their creative boundaries.

The visual world of Fake My Death is deeply rooted in the band’s home turf. The music video for “Perfect Storm” features footage shot around Highland Park in Glendale and Ridgewood, Queens, featuring collaborations with longtime creative partners Ryon, Preston Spurlock, and Owen Lehman.

To celebrate the release, Bummer Camp is hitting the road for a high-energy release weekender. If you want to experience these new tracks in their loudest, most visceral form, catch them at one of the following dates:

  • May 21 – Belmar, NJ @ Vintage on Ninth
  • May 22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Alphaville
  • May 23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Brewery ARS
  • May 24 – Kingston, NY @ NightSwim

Whether they are channelling the fuzzy walls of sound found in classic shoegaze or the melodic grit of 90s alt-rock, Bummer Camp is proving that choosing to feel something is always the right move.