That Darn Racket confront shadows and false smiles on new album ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’

Rochester’s That Darn Racket step into the spotlight with their debut album ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’, a record that wears its contradictions proudly. On the surface, the title suggests unshakable optimism, but dig beneath the crunch of guitars and sharp-edged choruses and you’ll find something more conflicted: a raw reflection on resentment, fractured trust, and the uneasy work of moving forward in an unstable world.

The band draws on the unmistakable DNA of ’90s alt-rock- echoes of Stone Temple Pilots and Nirvana can be heard in the driving riffs, yet avoids being pinned as a nostalgia act. Tracks like ‘From A Mile Away’ and ‘About Face’ deliver this ethos by cutting close to the bone, tackling toxic dynamics and hollow promises of modern society.

But the real strength of ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ lies in its willingness to sit with discomfort. Songs like ‘Moth… Or?’ sit in the push-and-pull of loving someone through addiction, while the record as a whole reflects a broader question of survival in the wake of upheaval, connecting with those that listen on a personal, societal, and global scale.

Rather than presenting itself as a neatly packaged revival of grunge or pop-punk, That Darn Racket use their influences as a foundation for something more nuanced. What began as Peter’s skeletal demos have been shaped into full-bodied songs without losing their NOFX-style urgency. It’s not about answers, it’s about the release that comes with saying the quiet parts out loud.