Fake Names, the punk supergroup made up of members from Refused, Bad Religion and other bands, have shared a new song called “If You Could See Me Today.” It is the latest single from their upcoming album Punk Ruins, due out October 23rd.
The track pairs earthy mid-tempo rock energy with jangle pop guitars and soulful vocals. Its intelligent lyrics and arrangement let the group sound like Motown through the lens of Big Star. That blend of punk roots and melodic pop craft is the whole pitch for the record.
The Band Behind the Record
Fake Names brings together five musicians with deep histories across punk and rock:
- Brian Baker, who played in Minor Threat, Dag Nasty and Bad Religion
- Dennis Lyxzén, from Refused and INVSN
- Michael Hampton, who worked with S.O.A., Embrace and The Faith
- Johnny Temple, from Girls Against Boys and Soulside
- Mario Rubalcaba, the new drummer who played in Rocket From The Crypt and Off!
Each of these five musicians has spent years in some of the most important bands in American punk. Together they form a lineup that reads as a map of American punk history, with each member bringing a distinct scene to the project.
What the New Single Sounds Like
“If You Could See Me Today” leans into jangle pop guitars and yearning, soulful vocals over a mid-tempo rock base. The description of the track notes that its intelligent lyrics and arrangement allow the group to pull off something that feels like Motown through the lens of Big Star.
That comparison lands as a compliment. The song is trying to be both at once.
The earthy mid-tempo rock base gives the jangle pop guitars somewhere to sit. The yearning vocals add weight to the melody without overwhelming it. The combination of those two elements — the steady, grounded rhythm and the brighter, more melodic guitar work — is exactly what makes the track distinctive.
The Album and the Tour
Punk Ruins is the full-length that holds this single. The album arrives October 23rd.
The band have also announced a UK/European tour in late January followed by a seven-date run in the United States beginning in mid February. Tickets are available now.
The band’s previous single, “Until It’s Normal,” earned a spot as our Heavy Song of the Week when it was released.
How to Hear It Now
The lyric video for “If You Could See Me Today” is available to stream now.
The single is out now. The album follows on October 23rd. The tour starts in January.
For fans of Refused, Bad Religion and the other bands these musicians have played in, this is the kind of project that makes sense. A band with this much pedigree choosing to make something that sounds more like a pop single than a punk record — that is the story, and it is a good one.
See the video the story is built around at Consequence.
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