It must be said before all else that K Records band Chain And The Gang sound a lot– a LOT– like the Velvet Underground and/or Jonathan Richman (“Room 19,” a track about a party, made me think of “Parties In The USA” IMMEDIATELY.) Should this dissuade you from listening to their new record, Down With Liberty…Up With Chains? Hell no. This right here is my favorite type of art punk, and whether you find it to be too similar to Ye Olde Velvet Underground or not, you have to admit that it’s a damn catchy piece of work.While the record does not come out until April 7, you can stream the entire album by clicking right here.

Basically, Chain and the Gang is a whole caboodle of K Records veterans and new K Records signees from whom you can expect amazing things in the next year. Though the project began with Ian Svenonius, it grew to include Curious Mystery drummer Faustine Hudson, Calvin Johnson, Karl Blau (I know, I keep writing about him but I can’t help it, because that dude seems to be in pretty much every single K Records band), Brian Weber (Dub Narcotic Sound System), and Arrington de Dionyso, Aaron Hartman and Benjamin Hartman (Old Time Relijun), Sarah Pedal, Brett Lyman (Bad Thoughts), Veronica Ortuno (Finally Punk), Nicolaas Zwart (Desolation Wilderness), Chris Sutton (Hornet Leg) and Sixx (The Vibrarians). Eventually, they will play a show in town. On May 29. Seriously, guys? Maybe I am missing something here, but seriously: you couldn’t play at least one show here BEFORE you go on a national international tour? Purty please?