Groupie – “Swan Song”

Frontwoman Ashley Kossakowski formed the New York-based band Groupie before she learned how to play her bass, and there's a whole lot of steely-eyed determination in the band's sound. Kossakowski and her band make big, bright, catchy alt-rock with a whole lot of hooks; I'd put their sound somewhere between Bully and the Beaches. They've opened for a bunch of big bands, and their debut album Ephemeral came out in 2021. Now, they're working on a new album, and their new single "Swan Song" is worth checking out.

"Swan Song" is reportedly inspired by an agave plant that only flowers once at the end of its life. The song itself is a shiny grunge-pop snarl. It clearly evokes '90s stuff like Veruca Salt and Belly, but it reminds me even more of first-wave blog-rock. Good song! Check out the Gabrielle Ravet-directed video below.