The Downtown Boys have contributed their arrangement of communist anthem “L’Internationale” to the Italian film Miss Marx. Directed by Susanna Nicchiarelli, Miss Marx is a biopic about Karl Marx’s daughter, who was an important but often overlooked organizer and writer. She led many women to take up their/our rightful power in socialism. The band recorded this version of “L’Internationale,” as an ode to the global struggle and passion for a freedom bigger than themselves.
Miss Marx recently premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, where Downtown Boys and Gatto Ciliegia contro il Grande Freddo won the Soundtrack Stars Award for their work on the film.
About the song and film, Downtown Boys said:
“This year, we saw people throughout the globe come together amidst the pain of and struggle against police brutality, and the loss of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. We have lost over 200k people in our country from a global pandemic exacerbated by greed. And, throughout this all, we have seen people collectively fight back. We hope this video is a reminder of the vessel that brings us together to scream, shout, cry, or rest. Miss Marx would rally women socialists against patriarchy and global capital, and this video shows outtakes of Miss Marx and her comrades singing. The upcoming election and these continuing moments of collective power need to be vessels for our voices. In the spirit of Eleanor Marx and the current moment, please please go anywhere you can to sign up to vote or support others in voting, both by the ballot box in a few weeks and by all the ways we see people picking the side of freedom.”
Go here to register to vote, find out how/where/when to vote, and to support free and fair elections in the US this November.
To celebrate their European tour next week, Downtown Boys have shared their rendition of “Fotos Y Recuerdos”. Originally recorded by The Pretenders as “Back in the Chain Gang,” the song was later covered - with Spanish lyrics - and further popularized by the late Tejano queen, Selena.
Downtown Boys, in a group statement, say of the track: “Fotos y recuerdos translates to photos and memories. The original singer of this version of song, Selena Quintanilla, reminds us that, while it often feels like history repeats itself, our mystic chords of memories - even memories of thoughts - become part our protection. Our most gracious fotos and recuerdos break history repeating itself by being endless. And yours can be for you and no one else.”
“Fotos Y Recuerdos” was recorded during the Cost of Livingrecording sessions with Guy Picciotto and Greg Norman at Electrical Audio in Chicago.
Downtown Boys will resume their European tour schedule in support of Cost of Living next week. The dates span June 1st in Düdingen, Switzerland at Bad Bonn Kilbi Festival through June 9th at Hilavrenbeek, Netherlands’ Best Kept Secret Festival.
Jun. 01 - Düdingen, CH - Bad Bonn Kilbi Festival Jun. 02 - Trento, IT - Urma Festival Jun. 03 - Milan, IT - Zuma Festival Jun. 04 - Brescia, IT - Latteria Molly Jun. 05 - Torino, Italy - Blah Blah Jun. 06 - Ravenna, IT - Beaches Brew Festival Jun. 07 - Genova, IT - Teatro Al Trove Jun. 09 - Hilvarenbeek, NL - Best Kept Secret Festival
Produced by Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto, Downtown Boys recently released their highly anticipated and critically acclaimed third album, Cost of Living, on Sub Pop. Listen here, and buy it here.
What people are saying about Downtown Boys: ”Cost of Living, Downtown Boys’ third full-length, was written before this year’s inauguration, but its battle cries over centuries of injustices for marginalized people who have been left out of historical (and musical) narrative feels timeless” [Cost of Living, 8.5/10] - Paste
“a fierce offering that takes aim at fascism, queerphobia, capitalism, and racism in a howl of cathartic energy.” [Cost of Living, 8.5/10] -Loud & Quiet
“Downtown Boys are an antidote to 2017, to Trump’s America, to oppression of all marginalized groups. The bi-lingual Chicana, queer and Latino outfit are also a punch to the larynx of tired, white-washed punk rock that’s turned so far towards its own privileged naval.” [Cost of Living] - Under The Radar
“Like a cross between X-Ray Spex and Rage Against The Machine as reinterpreted via US hardcore.” [Cost of Living] - Uncut
“Nobody writes like Ruiz and Joey DeFrancesco, who espouse strength in the face of oppression.”[Cost of Living, 4/5] -MOJO
”Cost of Living is refined, an example of a band who can still make an album sound angry and alive under its surface sheen.” [Cost of Living] - Stereogum
”Cost of Living, the band’s third full album, does more than just chronicle what it’s like to be a non-straight and/or non-white working class person in America. It’s a declaration of war against the status quo.” [Cost of Living] - Uproxx
“It’s a pure punk attack, with driving guitars, bulldozing drums, Victoria Ruiz’s uninhibited shouts of anger for the oppressed, and of course the sax.” [Cost of Living] - Brooklyn Vegan
“Downtown Boys are an antidote to 2017.” [Cost of Living] -Under the Radar
“They craft a punk record that finds perfection between raw energy, handfuls of talent and something to say.” [Cost of Living, 8.0/10] -Northern Transmissions
”The Cost of Living feels so vital because it’s not just a document of the times, or a surface level scanning of issues. Unlike so much modern ‘political’ music that falls into a sardonic appreciation of the world, Downtown Boys are on the streets, marching, rioting, singing. They want to be in the thick of it, because that’s the only way things will change.” [Cost of Living, 4/5] -Spectrum Culture
Cost of Living is a testament to our need for Downtown Boy’s spirit, and to the possibility of compassion in the quest for equality.” [Cost of Living] - The Fader
”Cost of Living will likely be remembered as a document of its time. However, Downtown Boys have done an admirable job of placing the specifics of their messages within the context of history, and infusing the record with a rich new musicality.” [Cost of Living] - SPIN
“A shot of pure adrenaline, Downtown Boys are an antidote to the carefully posed, cynical window of modern life. No time for frills, they’re true to their core. Start the riot.” [Cost of Living, 4/5] - Upset
Cost of Living LP is Out Now on Sub Pop + International Tour Continues
Downtown Boys use their ferocious energy and powerhouse live shows to unite crowds in the struggle to smash racism, queerphobia, capitalism, fascism, boredom, and all things people use to try to close our minds, eyes and hearts. The band underlines their fearless and steadfast work towards these common goals with every conversation, song and performance as well as the “Somos Chulas (No Somos Pendejas)” video released today via Univision.
Directed by Eavvon O’Neal, the video opens with a short clip from powerful Cost of Living album single “A Wall” and quickly transitions into Spanish-language track “Somos Chulas (No Somos Pendejas)”. The video pits emotionally charged live performance footage of the Downtown Boys against a children’s birthday party in Brooklyn with piñatas fashioned after hot-button political signposts and eventually breaks out into a food fight.
Here for you now, is a related statement from Downtown Boys:
“We hope you enjoy this video. Chulas are people who believe in the mergence of our past experiences and what we want the future to be. This mergence becomes our reality, and right now that includes a lot of pain and healing in our community at so many levels. We feel that the recent decision made by the white supremacist faction of our Federal government around DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) was not a decision based on economic justice for the USA nor based on advancing real immigration reform. It was based on racism against immigrants. We know a lot of people who like Downtown Boys, come to our shows, or listen to our music are affected by this. We also want to acknowledge the millions of immigrants that were never even eligible for DACA and face criminalization, deportation, and racism daily. We must continue to fight against all borders. Demonizing people of color and immigrants is not a solution. We know we can’t do much, but we can try to get as much information on this out there as possible. We urge anyone who is affected by the DACA decision or knows someone who is affected to look into United We Dream and the National Immigration Law Center. People have until October 5 to renew their DACA paperwork, please read more info on how to get involved and things to know here).
Produced by Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto, Downtown Boys recently released their highly anticipated and critically acclaimed third album, Cost of Living, on Sub Pop. Listen here, and buy it here.
Downtown Boys wrap up a National US tour this week with a performance at The Broad museum in Los Angeles, hit stages across Europe this fall, and return to the US for a handful of show in November. Full list of dates and links to purchase tickets are HERE.
Downtown Boys use their ferocious energy and powerhouse live shows to unite crowds in the struggle to smash racism, queerphobia, capitalism, fascism, boredom, and all things people use to try to close our minds, eyes and hearts. Today, the band has released their highly anticipated and critically acclaimed third album, Cost of Living, on Sub Pop. Produced by Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto, one of indie-rock’s most mythological figures (he also produced Blonde Redhead, The Gossip, and others), Cost of Living shows a sense of maturity without compromising the band’s righteous assault and captivating presence.
The position of Downtown Boys has been clear since they started storming through basements and DIY spaces with their radically-minded, indefatigable rock music: they are here to topple the white-cis-het hegemony and draft a new history. This is how Downtown Boys began, and their resolve has only strengthened as both their sound and audience have grown. Like the socially conscious groups of years past, from Public Enemy to Rage Against the Machine, Downtown Boys harness powerful sloganeering, repetitive grooves, and earworm hooks to create one of the most necessary musical statements of today.
In addition to festival appearances at Riot Fest, London Calling, and Made In America, Downtown Boys are about to kick off an international tour, starting today in the band’s hometown of Providence, RI. Full list of dates are HERE.
What have “The People” said about Downtown Boys? Well, since you asked…
“Accompanied by production from Greg Norman and Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto, Downtown Boys sound sharper than ever, their urgency tightened into a raging storm.” – Pitchfork, Best New Track
“[A Wall] feels powerful enough to break down any physical boundary.” – FADER
“Downtown Boys’ mission: to reject boundaries that separate our humanity.” – NPR
“Listening to [A Wall] feels like being seen, recognized—the head-nod—and the power in both the delivery and the words bring solace and strength.” – Jezebel
“There are serious grooves on Cost Of Living, chugging basslines that propel one song into the next, mood pieces that are thick and urgent and tightly controlled. […] They make music that aims to inspire some spark of radical progress in this country, and the torch is all of ours to bear.” – Stereogum
“For five years, the Providence-born punk collective Downtown Boys have been one of America’s most incendiary bands, their no-nonsense political stances and chaotic songs coming together in messages of personal and societal liberation.” – Boston Globe
“In their best moments … Ruiz and company solidify their status as the most vital band in the scene right now.” – Afropunk
“Downtown Boys are one of the most exciting bands around.“ – Salon
International Tour Kicks Off With Hometown Release Day Show in Providence, 8/11
Downtown Boys will release their third album (and Sub Pop debut), Cost of Livingon August 11. Produced by Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto, one of indie-rock’s most mythological figures (he also produced Blonde Redhead, The Gossip, and others), Cost of Living shows a sense of maturity without compromising the band’s righteous assault and captivating presence. Fans can hear the radical masterpiece in its entirety a week early, streaming via NPR First Listen today.
The Providence, RI band previously released the single “Lips That Bite” via Adult Swim Singles Program- the follow-up to the politically charged single “A Wall.” Downtown Boys use their ferocious energy and powerhouse live shows to unite crowds in the struggle to smash racism, queerphobia, capitalism, fascism, boredom, and all things people use to try to close our minds, eyes and hearts.
In addition to festival appearances at Riot Fest, London Calling, and Made In America, Downtown Boys are about to kick off an international tour, starting on release day in the band’s hometown of Providence, RI. Full list of dates is HERE.
[Photo Credit: Miguel Rosario]
The position of Downtown Boys has been clear since they started storming through basements and DIY spaces with their radically-minded, indefatigable rock music: they are here to topple the white-cis-het hegemony and draft a new history. This is how Downtown Boys began, and their resolve has only strengthened as both their sound and audience have grown. Like the socially conscious groups of years past, from Public Enemy to Rage Against the Machine, Downtown Boys harness powerful sloganeering, repetitive grooves, and earworm hooks to create one of the most necessary musical statements of today.
The time is now for you to follow Downtown Boys everywhere over the known internets via Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bandcamp.
“Accompanied by production from Greg Norman and Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto, Downtown Boys sound sharper than ever, their urgency tightened into a raging storm.” – Pitchfork, Best New Track
“[A Wall] feels powerful enough to break down any physical boundary.” – FADER
“Downtown Boys’ mission: to reject boundaries that separate our humanity.” – NPR
- - - - - - -
Downtown Boys will release their third album, Cost of Living, August 11th on Sub Pop. The Providence, RI band savagely stand their ground with this new album cut (and follow-up to the politically charged single “A Wall”) “Lips That Bite,” now available from the Adult Swim Singles Program via Stereogum.
Downtown Boys’ new album, Cost of Living, will be released on CD / LP / CASS / DL, and is available for pre-order here now. LP pre-orders in North America through the Sub Pop Mega Mart and select independent retailers will receive the Loser Edition on marbled gold vinyl while supplies last. Plus, a new T-shirt design will also be available for some sweet bundling action.
[Photo Credit: Miguel Rosario]
Downtown Boys use their ferocious energy and powerhouse live shows to unite crowds in the struggle to smash racism, queerphobia, capitalism, fascism, boredom, and all things people use to try to close our minds, eyes and hearts. In addition to festival appearances at Riot Fest, London Calling, Made In America, and a House of Vans summer show w/ Royal Headache and Sheer Mag next week, Downtown Boys have added a slew of dates to their upcoming tour. Full list of dates HERE or see below.
Cost of Living is Downtown Boys’ first record for Sub Pop, and the band is using this new platform as a megaphone for their protest music, amplifying and centering Chicana, queer, and Latino voices in the far-too-whitewashed world of rock. The album is at once incendiary, cathartic, and fun, melding the band’s revolutionary ideals with boundless energy. Produced by Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto, one of indie-rock’s most mythological figures (he also produced Blonde Redhead, The Gossip, and others), Cost of Living shows a sense of maturity without compromising the band’s righteous assault and captivating presence.
The position of Downtown Boys has been clear since they started storming through basements and DIY spaces with their radically-minded, indefatigable rock music: they are here to topple the white-cis-het hegemony and draft a new history. This is how Downtown Boys began, and their resolve has only strengthened as both their sound and audience have grown. Like the socially conscious groups of years past, from Public Enemy to Rage Against the Machine, Downtown Boys harness powerful sloganeering, repetitive grooves, and earworm hooks to create one of the most necessary musical statements of today.
