"But mainly, it's the result of the New Orleans duo's unique stamp on the sound of underground punk: Honeywell, often in a leather vest, howls with a pack-a-day voice over racing, lo-fi guitar, while RJ Santos, always sporting a dapper suit and tie, plays pedal steel. It's garage punk with an old-school country twang; as their personality seeps through the sound like dye, it takes on the color of music's sepia-toned past and technicolor present."
"Twisted Teens' restless slacker approach seems contradictory by definition until you recall the Andrew Savages of the world. Where Parquet Courts rode a proverbial bull through the crowded streets of New York City, Twisted Teens' 2024 self-titled debut kicked up its bare feet on a Louisiana porch with a casual wave for onlookers. On their follow-up, Blame the Clown, the band unleashes an even tighter batch of songs born from sheer charisma, straightforward hooks, and the no-bullshit storytelling that gets passed down between generations."
"Everything about Twisted Teens' musical demeanor is casual and unpretentious. They shoot from the hip when writing punk songs and play with the precision of an in-house country band, all while maintaining the relaxed confidence of musicians who act like they've been here before. "Is It Real?" opens Blame the Clown with the duo's quintessential blend, pinning Honeywell's storied rasp over the tinny solos of Santos' nimble pedal steel."
Twisted Teens are a New Orleans duo whose music blends garage punk with old-school country, driven by Caspian Honeywell's raspy howl and RJ Santos' pedal steel. Honeywell's background in Blackbird Raum helped jump-start the folk-punk scene, but the duo's unique instrumental pairing defines their sound. Their 2024 self-titled debut favored laid-back porch rock energy; the follow-up Blame the Clown tightens songcraft with charisma, hooks, and blunt, generational storytelling. Songs like "Is It Real?" showcase Honeywell's rasp over tinny pedal-steel solos, "Circus Clown" mixes garage sprint with warped metallic textures, and "Hurricane" flirts with shoegaze via blown-out whammy slides.
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