NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – July 20, 2023
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Explosive Debut S/T Album From Canadaâs HARDBALL Will Ignite A Grunge Revolution
+ Western Canadian Tour Dates
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Back standing: Jeremy Head (Drums), Front L-R: Jamie Black (Bass), Scott Budgie (Guitar/Vocals), Photo Credit – by Kaila Hald
Vancouverâs Hardball is ready to take you on a grunge journey of dirty riffs and speedy shredding with their debut self-titled album, which is now streaming in full before its official release on July 21st via its premiere on New Noise Magazine HERE.
The ten tracks deliver a heavier, punkier version of modern grunge with huge-sounding drums, and over-the-top heavy, layered guitars. Lyrically, vocalist/guitarist Scott Budgie says it helps him to think of the most distressed or agitated heâs ever felt in his life and channels those feelings of utter frustration, and confusion into his writing. Thereâs often some absurdity in there too as he thinks laughing at things that are too terrible to face is a coping mechanism for a lot of people. Artistically, the album covers a lot of different, but related themes. In Budgieâs mind, itâs a concept album, but itâs admittedly the most incoherent concept album of all time. Itâs a deep dive into his own psyche, unturning all the different stones that maybe should have been left alone, all the while worrying about being too self-indulgent in the process. He goes on to comment on the release:
âWe are really excited to finally get this album in peopleâs hands. There have been terrible periods of development hell and sessions of re-tracking the same parts over and over trying to get the vibe just right. Itâs been a long, and at times aggravating process to get it to where weâre truly happy with it. Weâre all perfectionists, especially Jeremy, who acted like the in-band producer throughout most of the process. I feel as though we created something innovative and contemporary while still honouring our heroes from the â90s alternative rock and â80s punk scenes. Weâre having our cake and eating it too.â
Hardball is comprised of former Poles frontman and Vancouver local Scott Budgie, as well as Okanagan residents, drummer Jeremy Head also of The Motion Picture, and bassist Jamie Black. The album is a joint production between recording engineer Matt Roach of Rain City Recorders in Vancouver, BC (Baptists, Misery Signals, Comeback Kid) and mix engineer Felix Fung of Little Red Sounds in New Westminster, BC (Needles//Pins, Girlfriends and Boyfriends, Mode Moderne). Every Song was mixed by Felix Fung at Little Red Sounds, except for track 9. I/O, which was mixed by Jeff Black at Black Note Productions.
The self-titled album will be available July 21st, 2023 on all major streaming platforms via Distrokid, as a digital download through Bandcamp, and directly from the band on 12â LP, and compact disc. It is recommended for fans of Hüsker Dü, Flipper, and The Melvins.
Digital pre-save (Spotify, Bandcamp) –Â Linktr.ee/hardballbcâ
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Lyric video – âWorried As Shitâ – https://youtu.be/rza3NATHCskâ
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Track Listing:â
1. Just A Tree (3:55)
2. Worried As Shit (2:21)
3. NRA (2:33)
4. In The Mail (4:16)
5. Me And You (2:47)
6. Chili (5:55)
7. Talk To Me (5:25)
8. Ianâs Song (2:36)
9. I/O (3:18)
10. Open Air (9:47)
Album Length: 42:57
Album Recording and Live Band Lineup:â
Scott Budgie – Vocals, guitars
Jeremy Head – Drums, guitars, synth, backing vocals
Jamie Black – Bass, backing vocals
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Tour Dates:â
Aug 4 – Vancouver, BC – Astoria – w/ Paul is Dead
Aug 5 â Squamish, BC â Peckinpah
Aug 9 â Nelson, BC â Kootenay Co-op Radio â w/ The Tarholes
Aug 10 â Edmonton, AB â The Buckingham â w/ Take Sides, Pizza Bath and Umi Yokai
Aug 11 â Calgary, AB â Modern Love â w/ Pizza Bath, Cope and Wallpaper
Aug 12 â Oliver, BC â Firehall Brewing
Aug 26 â Salmo, BC â Hogkegger Fest w/ Rad Dog
More info: Facebook.com/hardballmusic | Instagram.com/hardballbcâ
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“Punishingly heavy and powerful, the band members go absolutely musically berserk on this one, throwing everything theyâve got against the wall, with the songâs intensity matching the weight of its message. Gun control is an issue we hear about in the news virtually every day. HARDBALL have stepped up to the plate here with a representation of the anger many of us feel about these societal challenges.” – V13
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“Vancouverâs Hardball are sharing their self-titled full-length, which will take you through the grunge journey of dirty riffs and speedy shredding.” – New Noise Magzine
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“if you do like Nirvana â then you might have a new CD to purchase!… the opener âJust A Treeâ in true grunge mode. If you on the other hand take âMe And youâ weâre in for more of a party hard rocker with a slight punk vibe. Still some grunge in it, maybe mainly for the lead vocal of Scott Budgie who sounds very much like Kurt Cobain at times. This band is furthermore more interesting to listen to, musically, compared to Nirvana. Hear the hard-working guitar playing in âWorried As Shitâ for example. Same in the quite grungy âTalk To Meâ with good variation between intense and softer parts, plus nice riffing guitars. All in all, yes: quite grunge oriented but still more than that. Well worth checking out if youâre into this type of music.” – Meloidc.net
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“HARDBALL is a trio from Vancouver that tries to revive this period through realistic, harsh songs and a thick and hard sound. Their first album is without doubt the most beautiful tribute to the nineties scene that we have been able to listen to for a very long time” – Metal News Fr
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“HARDBALL brings to their music, a claw, a rather distressed and tortured atmosphere. And then around the compositions, something struck me: the emotion. It is palpable all the way, feels right away, because it feels like Scott is literally living this music. Any grunge or nostalgic fan of this era should have an ear, because this album is inspired.” – Olivier No Limit
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