The Homeless Gospel Choir, aka songwriter Derek Zanetti, recently announced a brand new full-length, This Land Is Your Landfill, due out April 24th from A-F Records (North America) and Hassle Records (UK/EU). Today the Pittsburgh, PA-based musician has shared another early preview of the record with ‘Art Punk‘ and its accompanying music video. This Land Is Your Landfill marks a reinvention for The Homeless Gospel Choir with Zanetti leaving the sparse arrangements of his earlier work behind, gathering an all-star cast of punk scene collaborators, and creating the kind of raucous, full-band album that he’d always dreamed of. With its fuzzed-out guitars, driving tempo, and gang harmonies, ‘Art Punk’ is a perfect example of the celebratory mix of ’90s rock hooks and punk energy that permeates This Land Is Your Landfill. The song acts as an ode to the insatiable desire to create while warning against getting lost in the process. Zanetti explains,
“When you create something to share with the world –whether it’s a sculpture or a cartoon or a jingle– a strong bond is developed between the subject and artist… A familiarity exists that becomes more comfortable than experiencing human interaction. Art Punk is about the allure of being a recluse and the torture that goes along with it… a sing‐alone/sing-along pop song about the anxiety that artists, punks, and fuck ups often feel. We hope our song sticks with you but your anxiety does not…” – Derek Zanetti
After the passing of his father, Zanetti sought a new kind of comfort from music–a need for big, cathartic songs, and the solace of the community he’d found in the punk scene. The result is This Land Is You Landfill, where Zanetti is joined by Matt Miller (Endless Mike and the Beagle Club, Wingnut Dishwashers Union), Maura Weaver (Mixtapes, Ogikubo Station), Megan Schroer (Boys, Kitty Kat Fan Club), and Craig Luckman (Small Pollen, Belly Boys), along with producer Chris #2 (Anti-Flag, White Wives) and more, to help create a loud new chapter for The Homeless Gospel Choir. The band’s sound may have changed drastically but Zanetti’s unique lyricism remains, and This Land Is Your Landfill deftly balances the personal (grief, ageing, self-perception) with the sociopolitical (environmentalism, toxic social media, the hate and ignorance fueled by the Trump administration). The result is an urgent album that captures The Homeless Gospel Choir as the punk rock family it was always meant to be.
The Homeless Gospel Choir will be touring throughout 2020 in support of This Land Is Your Landfill, including upcoming North American runs with Good Riddance and Harley Poe.