Rodeo Boys

Rodeo Boys’ new album Junior captures the quiet rebellion of a queer, blue-collar heart. Fronted by guitarist/vocalist Tiff Hannay (they/them), guitarist Caleb Shook (he/him), bassist Taylor “Doty” (he/him), and drummer Christian Urabazzo (he/him), the Lansing, MI-based band blends a dirt-under-the-nails grit with campy, sardonic humor in a way that only a group of small-town misfits could pull off. Across its twelve tracks, Junior reimagines queer masculinity with rugged softness, resulting in an album that’s both deeply introspective and defiantly outspoken.

Produced by Tom May of The Menzingers and mixed by Marc Jacob Hudson (Against Me, Saves The Day, Sunny Day Real Estate), Junior is a collision of fiery punk rage, salt-of-the-earth passion, and melodic emo. The record chisels through tales of grief, poverty, heartbreak, messy friendships, and the exploration of gender identity with a sound that’s both abrasive and anthemic. Rodeo Boys have honed their electrifying live presence on tour alongside bands like Cloud Nothings, Screaming Females, Microwave, The Menzingers, Smoking Popes, and Catbite, further cementing their place in the underground punk and indie scenes.

But Junior isn’t just about identity—it’s about survival. Marked by loss and upheaval, Tiff’s upbringing forced them to claw their way through spaces that weren’t built for them–whether in music or the trades. A radically left arborist in Michigan, Tiff’s hands are just as familiar with hunting, fishing, and raising chickens as they are with playing guitar. Their work as an arborist began with Tiff as the only non-male member on a massive crew, exposing them to workplace misogyny that sharpened some of Junior’s most iconic, quick-witted clapbacks––”give the boy some credit, he’s working on himself!”

These experiences––not to mention a “gnarly case of ADHD,” their words––shape the record’s relentless energy, and so do their politics. Every track on Junior is equally informed by the band and Tiff’s anti-capitalist views, and an unwavering belief in building and maintaining community on the ground level.

Half of the tracks are no-nonsense anthems of revenge, like "Sam's Song," which captures the emotional weight of witnessing a friend endure predatory abuse––and even references journal entries with permission from the survivor––and "Cowgirl in the Dark," which reflects Tiff’s admiration for the often misunderstood Pam Anderson. Elsewhere, the fired-up onslaught of “Speedway” and “Pump Six” pay homage to The Clash’s “Straight To Hell,” throwing shade at former friends that threw away their potential.

The other half of the record explores desperate yearning and queer identity, like first single "All American Man," which draws inspiration from Laura Gilpin’s poem Two-Headed Calf to explore the distortion of identity and expectation; and “Peonies,” which tackles the complexity of queer desire. Junior also delves into Tiff's personal story as a queer masc in a world that often elevates a more common femme queer experience, highlighting the tension of being a "square peg in a round hole," even within supposedly safe spaces.

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Mannequin Pussy, The Beths, and Destroy Boys, the album captures the same, unfiltered ferocity but from a unique queer masc perspective. Simultaneously nodding to inspirations like Pixies, Breeders, and Hole, Junior is as cathartic as it is unrelenting. Whether confronting betrayal or the disillusionment that comes with hopeless romanticism, Rodeo Boys bring their experience of hardship and triumph into every song. Junior is a rallying cry for anyone struggling with the complexities of life in a world that doesn’t always understand them.