The evolution of the folk-punk lineage reaches a sophisticated peak on ‘Blame the Clown’ by Twisted Teens. This sophomore effort from the New Orleans duo represents a deliberate maturation of the anarchist energy that Caspian “C-Bird” Hollywell (credited elsewhere as Cas P. Ian or CPN) first championed decades ago with Blackbird Raum. Alongside RJ Santos (performing under the sharp-edged moniker Razor “The Razor” Ramone), Hollywell has constructed a sound that feels both salvaged from a sepia-toned past and vibrantly immediate.
On this second Twisted Teens full-length, that anarchist fervor has matured into a weathered, Southern garage-rock philosophy. Alongside Santos, whose approach to the pedal steel avoids country clichés in favor of a sharp, melodic precision, Hollywell has crafted a record that feels like a transmission from a disappearing America. This is a work of calculated rawness, where the ghosts of delta blues and activist folk are channeled through a blown-out, lo-fi lens.
The opening inquiry of “is it real?” establishes the duo’s quintessential aesthetic. Here, Melrose “Mel” Billiard provides a lead guitar counterpoint that dances around Ramone’s steel lines, which cut through the mix with a clean, surgical edge. This interplay creates a foundation for Hollywell’s storied rasp, a voice that carries the weight of a thousand smoke-filled rooms. The rhythmic drive of “wild connection” further expands this palette, as the drumming of Howe “Howie” Pea injects a kinetic urgency into a narrative of bittersweet sentimentality. It is a track that illustrates their ability to stretch time, finding a patient groove within the chaos of the present.
The record often thrives on a sense of mechanical persistence, most evident in the driving pulse of “I operate”. This minimalist energy shifts into the pastoral storytelling of “little seed,” where Hollywell proselytizes a vagabond lifestyle with a sincerity that feels entirely unpretentious. The inclusion of Billiard’s guitar on the frantic “100 bill is gone!” underscores the band’s knack for straightforward hooks, while “peekaboo hand” utilizes a playful, almost absurdist musicality to mask a deeper sense of environmental unease.
Twisted Teens are masters of thematic friction, a quality that defines “not real.” The song serves as an impassioned argument against social masking, its heavy blues-rock swing interrupted by modern digital artifacts that tether the duo’s old-soul sensibilities to a technicolor present. This inquisitive nature persists through the mysterious “who could it be?” before exploding into the garage-punk sprint of “circus clown.” In this standout moment, Ramone’s pedal steel is warped and reversed into a metallic yawn, proving that the instrument can be as experimental as any synthesizer.
The final movements of ‘Blame the Clown’ offer a panoramic view of the band’s range. The whammy bar slides on “hurricane” verge on a shoegaze-adjacent wall of sound yet remain anchored by the duo’s inherent country twang. The atmospheric depth is further enriched by Cameron “Cam” Snyder’s synths and percussion on “Corpse Pose,” hinting at a broader sonic ambition.
Finally, the acoustic intensity of “white hot coal” strips away the distortion to reveal the searing heart of Hollywell’s songwriting. Mastered by Jaxon Vesely to retain every smudge of Louisiana humidity, this record is a definitive statement. It is the sound of two musicians who have found their perspective from the front porch, refusing to hurry for a world that has forgotten how to move slow.
To learn more or to have a listen, please visit Bandcamp | Chain Smoking Records (U.S.) | Jazz Life Records (UK).
