Today Junior encapsulates the tension of everyday existence fueled by a resilience to survive that has become its own form of protest on Stranger Days. The Boston trio have found the sound of anti-subjugation surf rock that bounces with indie-rock fervor and laced with everyday blues that the survival class (formerly known as the working class) can genuinely connect with.
What would The Beach Boys sound like if they had to live through a couple recessions, a pandemic, and all the treacherous trimmings that accompany late-stage capitalism? What does garage rock sound like when it gets harder and harder to afford living in a place that has a garage? It would sound like Stranger Days. Released September 4, the latest LP from Today Junior is a fuzzed up surf rock opus that rides the wave of existential uncertainty. Marking the band’s first full-length album since 2023, Stranger Days is a body of work that strives to make sense of the dizzying landscape of reality and find solidarity with the masses facing the same state of affairs.
Strangers Days is a collection of songs for the “Okay, Here we go again, I guess” generation: a generation not defined by birth year, but their shared need to survive against ever-mounting odds. Today Junior channels their frustrations, exhaustion, and mounting malaise with energetic and anthemic lyrics that showcase their growth as songwriters. Mixing real world woes with their signature whimsy and humour, the band allow themselves to be vulnerable without being massive downers.
Rallying support with the opening track “If You Want To”, Today Junior set the tone for Stranger Days as a call to shake off the forced acceptance of what IS, and consider fighting for what SHOULD BE. Today Junior balances out their direct approach songs like “Waiting for a Change” with more laid back and satirically-veiled songs like their single “Werewolves of Boston” and “From the Sun”. Regardless of how pointed or purposefully passive any song is, Stranger Days maintains a sense of urgency and encourages a willingness to connect with one another.
“This latest batch of songs comes from a place where we have felt a little lost, down, and out. I’d like to think this album has some of our most transparent and vulnerable lyrics. I can only write what I know and hope that people can find meaning or connection.”
– Harry O’Toole, Guitar & Lead Vocals
Amongst the sweet harmonies and generous guitar solos, Stranger Days sounds as optimistic as it can despite the circumstances that inspired it. Today Junior has tapped into a new level of electric escapism that adds some much needed bounce to all the surrounding bad.Stranger Days is a brilliantly balanced LP that feels like surfing close enough to the shoreline to see everything on fire, but far enough away to enjoy the breeze.
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Today Junior is a Boston based indie-rock trio known for having wild and energetic live performances. With the creative wisdom of brothers Mike and Harry O’Toole, alongside Jonathan Hislop, Today Junior presents upbeat and edgy music that is instantly catchy, but also carries its own stylistic charm. With the releases of Ride The Surf (2015) their EP Leaving Easy (2017) and Single Forever (2018) the band offers an addictive musical blend that has just been gaining steam the last few years, opening for bands such as: Brian Jonestown Massacre, Surf Curse, Jacuzzi Boys, Homeshake, So-So Glos, Adult Books, and others.
