Hailing from Long Island, NY, Somerset Thrower was founded by four friends who share a love of all things rock and roll. Built on punk and hardcore roots, the four-piece blends raw energy with melody-soaked textures to create something both urgent and timeless. Today, the band release their third album, Take Only What You Need to Survive, through Smartpunk Records. Produced and mixed by Jon Markson at Animal Farm Studios (Drug Church, Taking Meds), Take Only What You Need to Survive captures Somerset Thrower at their most dynamic—equal parts cathartic and anthemic, with soaring guitars, driving rhythms, and unshakable hooks.
Stream it HERE and purchase on vinyl through Smartpunk Records.
Take Only What You Need to Survive is the sound of a band making music purely for the love of it. Influences pull from Jimmy Eat World, Garden Variety, and Seaweed, which translate to a natural nostalgic feel throughout the album’s songs while still giving a modern sound. The record serves at Somerset Thrower’s fourth overall release, having debuted in 2015 with the Falling Swingers EP and following 2020’s well received Paint My Memory LP. Throughout Somerset Thrower’s ten-year tenure, the band has shared the stage with Rival Schools, Taking Back Sunday, Supercrush, Glassjaw, Drug Church, The Movielife, Iron Chic, Taking Meds, and more.
Take Only What You Need to Survive is Somerset Thrower at their best: driving, dynamic, and honest.
On the album, vocalist/guitarist Frank Traficante shares:
“The common goal is always to create something that’s fresh and exciting to us; something we’d want to listen to in a car going 90 with the windows down. We each contributed to the writing process of Take Only What You Need to Survive and trusted one another to steer it in a direction that felt like a natural progression for the band. In the same way, we pushed ourselves out of comfort zones and shaped the songs into something divergent, but still unique to our sound. These songs were written over a span of about two years and some of the riffs we’ve had since the early days of the band. It felt good to revisit old ideas and breathe new life into them. It was gratifying.
Many of the songs on the album have a ‘coming to terms’ kind of vibe. Where does the time go type shit and what does it all mean now? I’ve been trying to be less nostalgic as I get older and live more in the moment, but it always comes out in the writing. I tried to be more honest with myself for this one. I hope people relate to and resonate with it.”
The band will celebrate with two record release shows, July 31st in Allston, MA and August 1st in Brooklyn, NY. Details below.
Somerset Thrower is Frank Traficante – Guitar/Vocals, Tim Chimenti – Drums, Conor Freeman – Bass, and John Stippell – Guitar.
