What happens when an abrasive rock trio trades guitars for synths, cranks up the beats and leans into the everyday anxieties of simply being a functioning human in the 21st century? The answer is Uneasy Laughter, the sensational second Sub Pop release from Los Angeles-based Moaning.

Vocalist/guitarist Sean Solomon, bassist/keyboardist Pascal Stevenson and drummer Andrew MacKelvie have been friends and co-conspirators amid the fertile L.A. DIY scene for more than a decade. They are also immersed in other creative pursuits Solomon is a noted illustrator, art director and animator, while Stevenson and MacKelvie have played or worked behind the boards with acts such as Cherry Glazerr, Sasami and Surf Curse. On Uneasy Laughter, theyve tackled challenges both personal and universal the only way they know how: by talking about how theyre feeling and channeling those emotions directly into their music.

Weve known each other forever and were really comfortable trying to express where were at. A lot of bands arent so close, says MacKelvie. Adds Solomon, who celebrated a year of sobriety during the Uneasy Laughter sessions, Men are conditioned not to be vulnerable or admit theyre wrong. But I wanted to talk openly about my feelings and mistakes Ive made.

Release date: 20th March, 2020

Track listing

Ego
Play
Make It Stop
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Stranger
Running
Connect the Dots
Fall in Love
Coincidence or Fate
What Separates Us
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Keep Out
Saving Face
Say Something