The New Orleans country-punk duo Twisted Teens are on a hot streak, about to release their third album in a year, with crunchy, literate hooks that keep coming. The band, featuring Caspian Hollywell and RJ “Razor Ramone” Santos, play a console steel guitar and Hollywell possesses one of rock’s greatest, most soulful voices in many years.
Breakout Success
Twisted Teens broke through earlier this year with their second album Blame the Clown, a set of 12 country-punk tracks that’s hooky and effusive enough to rival any major-label pop record released this year. A couple of weeks ago, they released its followup, the rangier and slightly more introspective Florida Water Blues. Before the year’s out they’ll have dropped Holy Cross Tigers.
Origin and Style
The pair’s origin story is foggy – the most one can glean from interviews is “they were neighbours, then Santos travelled cross-country to buy a steel guitar”. Hollywell’s voice is gritty and pockmarked, interspersing deadpan meditations on life and love with a rich, almighty howl that’s ostentatious but unpretentious. Twisted Teens are two of 2026’s true originals – a breakout band whose kooky, ultra-clarified vision outstrips the hype.
Other New Tracks
This week’s best new tracks also include: John Glacier – Bond Girl, a club-ready hip-house track; Jeffrey Silverstein – Portland Works, a radiant cosmic Americana smear; Protomartyr – Sounds We Cannot Hear, a return for the Detroit post-punks; Namesbliss x Paul Stephan – Run It, a back and forth of fluid flows; Murex – Flock of Swans Fly in V’s, from a thrillingly innovative debut; Chad Hugo – Jumpupw!nya (ft Tierra Whack and Leikeli47), with aerobic breakbeats; and Cole Pulice – The Limits of the Frame, a soothing sound miasma.
