Bodega - Bernadette Maries

"Sugary post-punk goodness"

Sometimes you have to move backwards to move forwards. Just ask punk cultural commentators BODEGA, whose new album sees them carve a new future from fuzzsoaked, consumerism-skewering shards of their past. “It’s something we’ve been wanting to do for years,” guitarist and vocalist Ben Hozie explains of Our Brand Could Be Yr Life – a collection of catchy indie-rock ruminations on the slow-creep of corporate-think into youth culture, first written eight years ago.

Then known as BODEGA BAY, the Brooklyn group recorded those songs as a paradoxical double album. Now, BODEGA – completed by lead guitarist Dan Ryan, bassist Adam See and drummer Adam Shumski – have reinterpreted Our Brand Could Be Yr Life for 2024. “We thought of it like a director remaking one of their old films, like when Hitchcock remade the Man Who Knew Too Much, or when Yasujirō Ozu re-did The Story of Floating Weeds,” says Hozie, who it’s never a surprise to hear talking about music through a cinematic lens. After all, this is a creative who, in addition to his work in BODEGA, moonlights as a celebrated indie filmmaker (PVT Chat, his 2020 drama about online sex work, won rave reviews).

“When you're older and better at your craft, you can revisit the same material but do different things with it.”

BERNADETTE MARIES

Bernadette Maries is a post-punk, indie, and shoegaze band from Brussels, established in 2024. The band features Daria(Lavender Witch), Guy (ex Siamese Queens/Animal Youth), Charlie and David (Landrose/Cere).

Influenced by artists such as Blur, Fontaines D.C., King Krule, The Clash, Death In Vegas,.., Bernadette Maries creates a sound that merges the intensity of post-punk with the ambient qualities of shoegaze.

Bernadette Maries is known for their rich sound textures that resonate with themes of contemporaryexistence and the human experience in today's world. Their music captures the essence of modern life, offering listeners a sonic journey through atmospheric landscapes and emotive compositions.

The band is set to release their first demo and will debut live at Botanique, opening for Bodega, in September 2024.