The world got weirder in March of 2020 as America entered the early wave of pandemic panic and ensuing lockdown.  Meanwhile, members of Joybomb found themselves spending days underground in a recording studio in Nashville, Tennessee.  It was at Ivy Hall Studio where the band - comprised of frontman Grant Beatty and then-members Adrian Lewis and Todd Rowan – hunkered down with producer Drew Long, channeling their artistic energies into the creation of American Cult Candy.  “It felt very apocalyptic,” recalls Beatty of those first breaking news cycles.  As Joybomb launched into tracking, the surrealness of that collective moment, compounded by the glaring uncertainty of the Trump years, offered a unique creative fuel for the urgent energy and lyrical declamations found on this freshman LP.  

A name like Joybomb connotates certain pop sensibilities, which the band readily serves up with addictively catchy hooks and melodies – while also staring down the personal and societal demons that have become manifest in recent years.  In this way, Joybomb is very much a punk rock band and American Cult Candy is a series of poignant and sometimes cheeky observations of the violent bubblegum dysphoria that forms the backdrop of American political and consumer culture. 

Hailing from Memphis, TN, Joybomb made a pilgrimage to Nashville during this tumultuous time to collaborate with Drew Long of Rock Ridge Music, known for his work with Judah & The Lion and Chris Stapleton.  As the worlds of artistry and production collided and visions intertwined, Long and guitarist/vocalist Beatty continued building the album over the course of the next two years - a time that was not without its personal and pandemic-related setbacks.  But these complications gave the group an opportunity to perfect the tone and feel of the album, even as some songs became increasingly relevant while pressure to rush a finished product disappeared.

“We sought to make a HUGE sounding, smart, authentic, guitar-driven rock record with our unique flavor of power pop and punk aesthetic… essentially, hi-fi-meets-DIY! We definitely got that working with Drew, who allowed us time to breathe and explore,” said Beatty.

Though the extension proved to be a blessing, the moment for action has finally come for the crew. Having already released two singles from the new record (the Dandy Warhols-ish “Outside the Frame” and the summer rock banger “Twin Hearts”), Joybomb prepares for the release of American Cult Candy on August 26th.  They’re also sporting a new rhythm lineup with Clanton Blaylock on drums and Conner Booth on bass and vocals, as Lewis and Rowan have both departed to pursue other interests.  With Beatty still at the helm, Joybomb is staying busy bringing undeniably catchy riffage and melody – peppered with healthy doses of skepticism and fury - to audiences both at home and on the road.  Most importantly, they are readier than ever to unfurl the banner of pop punk poetry that is American Cult Candy.