Woozy come from the same New Orleans scene that’s home to the likes of Caddywhompus, Pope, and Donovan Wolfington. All of these bands have a penchant for hooks drowned in several layers of obfuscation, and all of them share a label in the form of Community Records. On “Venom,” the lead single off of Woozy’s upcoming debut LP, Blistered, they take a hard look at what that word — community — really means. Because for as much as DIY communities can be open and accepting, they are often also very insular and occasionally alienating environments. People are imperfect, and some people are just assholes, and it’s hard to maintain a sense of togetherness when some use the language of inclusion as a way “just to get ahead,” as the trio say at the start of their new track.

“This song is basically about shit-talking, exploring toxic relationships that form within tight-knit communities (specifically music scenes),” vocalist and songwriter John St. Cyr lays down what the track is about. “In particular, the tendency of people in these communities to in one second condemn and in the next ask for help from their peers. The line ‘wrap yourself in paisley and white images you’ll croon tonight’ refers to some of the questionable morals (namely misogyny) that people get away with by singing them in a pretty song.”

So instead of wrapping up another sad-boy song about some girl who won’t give him the time of day in pretty packaging, Woozy go in the opposite direction: The pretty packaging is still there (and, boy, is this song gorgeously laid out) but, instead, they’re calling out the bullshit of the scene and asking for respect. It reminds me of the frustrations that Diet Cig expressed on “Scene Sick” from earlier this year, which is also ostensibly about “the scene” but is more about dispelling apathy and hate, and embracing a sense of community in a way that is authentic and powerful. Listen below.

Tour Dates:

10/01 Birmingham, AL @ Desert Island Supply Co. (w/ Velouria)

10/02 Nashville, TN @ Stone Fox (w/ Idle Bloom, Watcher)

10/03 Knoxville, TN (w/ Lions)

10/06 Richmond, VA (w/ Sundials, Ostraca)

10/07 Washington, DC @ Above The Bayou (w/ Two Inch Astronaut, Swings)

10/08 Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA (w/ Two Inch Astronaut, Lithuania, Clique)

10/09 Brooklyn, NY @ Shea Stadium (w/ Two Inch Astronaut, Leapling, Very Fresh)

10/10 Boston, MA @ Out Of The Blue (w/ Palehound, Pile’s Rick Maguire)

10/11 Purchase, NY (w/ Palehound)

10/12 Chester, NY @ Elephant Graveyard

10/13 Pittsburgh, PA @ The People’s Warehouse (w/ One Hundred Year Sleep, Skull Kid)

10/14 Akron, OH @ Fool Mansion (w/ Setsuna, Alaska, Forever Losing Sleep)

10/15 Kalamazoo, MI @ Milhouse (w/ The Reptilian)

10/16 Grand Rapids, MI (w/ Ratboys, Odd Dates)

10/17 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean (w/ Ratboys, Coaster, Churchkey)

10/18 Davenport, IA @ Uncle Stu’s (w/ Ratboys)

10/19 Ames, IA (w/ Ratboys)

10/20 Kansas City, MO @ Records With Merritt (w/ Ratboys)

10/22 Little Rock, AR (w/ Ratboys)

10/23-24 New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa (Community Records Block Party)

10/29 Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder (w/ Ex-Breathers, Gnarwhal)

10/31 Gainesville, FL @ The Fest

Blistered is out 10/16 via Community Records/Exploding In Sound Records. Preorder it here.