The Hard Quartet – “Rio’s Song”

Last month, indie-rock supergroup the Hard Quartet released their first song, “Earth Hater.” Made up of Emmett Kelly, Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney, and Jim White, the Hard Quartet are announcing their self-titled debut album today. The new single “Rio’s Song” is out now.

“The ‘Rio’s Song’ video is the Hard Quartet’s homage to street rock in the hot afternoon & clowning around with lifer friends in downtown New York City,” the band said in a statement. “Director Jared Sherbert shot it guerrilla style on St Mark’s Place and in The International Bar on July 15 2024. It features local NYC artists, musicians, activists, skaters and icons who are dear to the band.”

About the project, Kelly explained, “Leave yourself behind and go into something where you’re actually listening to others and trying to come up with a solution to whatever kind of esoteric thing you are attempting to do in your life. You know what I mean?”

Sweeney added, “The way Jim plays really affected the way I hear things. He has this way of making everything sound good. All of a sudden, you really pay attention to everything else that’s going on because of what Jim is doing.”

White offered, “There’s this thing where I’ll have a story in my head when I have an intention, and I can hear it in the drums. It doesn’t matter if I tell anyone — even the people I’m playing with. You don’t even have to be particularly conscious of it yourself. But if you have an intention, something happens to the sound. It’s really weird.”

And lastly, Malkmus said, “We’re all jazzed.”

Check out the “Rio’s Song” video below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Chrome Mess”
02 “Earth Hater”
03 “Rio’s Song”
04 “Our Hometown Boy”
05 “Renegade”
06 “Heel Highway”
07 “Killed By Death”
08 “Hey”
09 “It Suits You”
10 “Six Deaf Rats”
11 “Action For Military Boys”
12 “Jacked Existence”
13 “North Of The Border”
14 “Thug Dynasty”
15 “Gripping The Riptide”

The Hard Quartet is out 10/4 on Matador.