Brooklyn emo band Safety have announced a new EP, Greetings from the Sunshine State, which will be their first new release since 2015’s Congratulate Me, I’ve Lost My Mind (Community Records). It arrives March 19 via Jetsam-Flotsam (pre-order), and we’re premiering its second single “Spanish Moss.”

First single “Song of the Night Gator” is a punk ripper of the Title Fight/Hot Water Music variety, but “Spanish Moss” is calmer, more indie rock-leaning emo that reminds me a little of Somos or underrated early 2000s Vagrant band Audio Learning Center. (If those comparisons mean anything to you, definitely give this a listen.) “When we ‘pay’ attention there is a real and often hidden cost. ‘Spanish Moss’ is a song about the choice of whether or not to pay attention at all, and if so, how much,” the band tells us. “It’s a choice we make constantly, either consciously or subconsciously. The video explores exactly this dichotomy – on the surface it’s easy and simple to enjoy, but the more attention you pay to what is going on, the more there is to glean from it.”

Safety are also donating all pre-order sales of the EP to the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition’s (FRRC) Fines and Fees Fund. They say:

Also, through this video premiere we’re hoping to use this to funnel traffic to the pre-order site with Dane that will run from 17 Feb to release date 19 March. As part of this release, we are donating 100% of all sales related to the release during the pre-order (minus shipping costs) to the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) Fines and Fees Fund. Below is a blurb about the org and initiative:

“The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition believes returning citizens can play an essential role in strengthening our communities and increasing public safety. FRRC launched the Fines & Fees Program because we believe in the value of returning citizens’ contributions to our communities.

FRRC’s Fines and Fees Program helps returning citizens break down any barriers they may have to voting from financial obligations (e.g. fines, fees, or court costs) that arose from a felony conviction (excluding murder or felony sexual offenses).”

Watch the video for the new song and stream the previous single below…

Tracklist
1. Song of the Night Gator
2. Sounds of the Coast
3. Everglader
4. Spanish Moss
5. Civilized
6. Heat Lightning

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See #45-21 here.