Having been big fans of Rhode Island’s Downtown Boys‘ fierce industrial punk for a number of years now, we’re super excited that they’ll be releasing their new album Public Luxury next week on 26th June via Sub Pop Records. Initially connecting at union meetings while working together at a hotel, founding members Victoria Marie and Joey La Neve DeFrancesco let their political drive and desire for change seep into everything they release as a band, and this is certainly showcased in this resonant and powerful collection, its name alone alluding to the need for services to be available to everyone. Propelled forwards with an empowering drive and seething energy, its themes reflect a bold hope and determination that a better world is possible, whilst simultaneously raging against the horrors that continue to strip the rights of marginalised communities. A resonant retort against the powers that be; a colossal call to arms to unite, resist hopelessness and fight for change.
We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspires them. So, ahead of the release of Public Luxury next week, we caught up with each member of the band to find out about the albums that have inspired them the most. Read about their five favourites, and watch the poignant animated video for recent anti-ICE single ‘You’re A Ghost‘ below…
Joey Doubek:
Rage Against the Machine – Evil Empire
When I was 9 I came across ‘Down Rodeo’ on my scan-only radio player walking through Chicago O’Hare airport, and was completely overwhelmed by the intensity of the lyrics and riffs. It took me at least a year to place Rage Against The Machine when I finally heard ‘Bulls on Parade’. Now, 30 years later I still get chills whenever I listen to Evil Empire. I credit this record and RATM for helping shape my world view at such a young age; for the realisation that the people in power in the place I live could inflict so much pain and suffering – “Is all the world jails and churches?”
Joe DeGeorge:
Pharoah Sanders – Journey to the One
Soft and ferocious, delicate and powerful, technical and fluid, yearning and fulfilling. This record is a beautiful illustration of the breadth of Sanders’ capabilities and expressions. Jazz mythos and legend aside, this record inspires my own playing and performance, existing in the motional space between the freer worlds we imagine, the frustration of the present, and the struggle to move ourselves towards utopia. This role for the saxophone in this space I find well established by Sanders’ work.Pharoah Sanders’ use of saxophone in this evocative and spiritual space are apparent when paired with the declarative idealism of the chorus on ‘You’ve Got to Have Freedom’. Freedom, peace, and love; these are the things we got to have. But with Sanders’ entrance on this song we hear no conventional illustration of peace or harmony. Instead, a heralding ostentato of frustrated harmonics from a muscled embouchure tells me that the work of getting all to have freedom, peace, and love is necessary, physical, hard, strained, and will stretch our ideas of what is possible and what is acceptable.
Joey La Neve DeFrancesco:
Yasmine Hamdan – I remember I forget
This was one of my favourite records of 2025 and I wish it got more coverage here. Hamdan succeeds in the extremely difficult task of creating an album that’s both achingly beautiful and so directly in response to the past years of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and now Lebanon. For instance, the gorgeous song ‘Shmaali’ is based on taraweed, a type of traditional Palestinian song sung by women that often uses coded language to secretly pass information without Israeli soldiers understanding. I love the animated video she made for the title track ‘I remember I forget’ and we hired the animator Khalil to make the video for our recent single ‘You’re a Ghost’.
Victoria Marie:
Priests – Tape Two
I know it is not a full length, but I really love Tape Two by Priests. Our band had the pleasure of meeting Katie Alice Greer when she was in Chain and the Gang, and she introduced us to the members of Priests. Tape Two came out on cassette and I remember having a cassette player that my grandma gave me to listen to mixtapes with Spanish and English songs that she’d made me. Tape Two’s ‘USA (Incantations)’ and ‘Lana’ just really really hit, with ‘USA (Incantations)’ managing to highlight the USA’s violent and brutal history with its beautiful use of music, adrenaline, and vocal protest. Also, I really appreciate how much Katie has always used her platform to speak against poignant injustices, from sexism in music to the need to end bombing and war on Gaza and Palestine.
Mary Jane Regalado:
Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Hands down my most listened to album of 2025 & 2026. This album beautifully captures the joy and pain of the Latinx diaspora. Encapsulating the lasting effects of colonialism while highlighting the legacy of resistance in our communities; from the commodification of our people and culture, the heartbreak of witnessing gentrification and displacement, the privatization of lands, and the fight for independence, to the inherent need to shake ass and deeply celebrate and honor love, friendship & family. The way Bad Bunny masterfully merges genres like reggaeton, salsa, bomba, dem bow and plena so seamlessly creates an album that is so exciting and fresh, but ultimately coherent. It blows my mind. It’s the perfect soundtrack to listen to while getting ready for a night out, on a long drive on tour, while cleaning my apartment, or while making protest banners at an art build. A few months ago the governor of Puerto Rico came to DC to promote Puerto Rican statehood – my friend invited me to an art build organized by JUPI (Juventud Unida por la Independencia) to protest and call for the independence of PR. Currently PR is being militarized by US troops – the island is being hit with ICE raids, beaches that are for the people are being privatized and sold to foreign investors. The struggle for anti-imperialist liberation and independence continues in PR, and this album reminds us that as we fight for liberation, it is important to have fun, to be in community with comrades and our loved ones. To celebrate each other, help each other out when in need – chill at the beach and enjoy the sunset, perreo, party, take pictures of our loved ones, hang with abuelo and play dominos all day. Take time to grieve, be present and embrace the short amount of time we have on this earth, and enjoy the small things like coffee in the morning, and a gallon of rum with friends while dancing in the streets.
Huge thanks to Downtown Boys for sharing their Five Favourites with us! We can’t wait for the release of Public Luxury next Friday 26th June via Sub-Pop Records. In the meantime, watch the poignant animated video for recent single ‘You’re A Ghost’ here:
Photo Credit: Naomi Yang
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