Singles Spotlight: Perennial –
“What’s New On The Beat Scene”

Hello reader,

How are you?

Another day, another Singles Spotlight. Today, Perennial. Obviously, the flowers are great. But at SWT, we’re going to talk about the New England-based modernist punk trio consisting of Chad Jewett (electric guitar and vocals), Chelsey Hahn (electric organ and vocals), and Ceej Wolf (drums), formed in Connecticut in 2015. The band’s press release for their upcoming album, Modernism which is out September 18th via Ernest Jenning Record Co. (US and International) and Safe Suburban Home (UK), explores their sound a bit more stating, “Focusing on both unforgettable live shows — frenetic, joyful dance-punk rites of spring — and studio-as-instrument modernist recordings, the band has built a cult of dedicated international aficionados, one sticky-humid basement show at a time. Touring tirelessly, they honed their Motown-via-Dischord sound to a keen, glossy point.”  Motown, old school vibes, punk, and frenetic dance-punk? They’re a versatile band that has explored many subgenres over the years. Sign me up, I’m intrigued.

Perennial’s discography is full of great releases, a mix of EPs and full-length albums beginning with their first, Early Sounds For Night Owls EP (2015), followed by their first full album The Symmetry of Autumn Leaves (2017), Food For Hornets EP (2019), In The Midnight Hour (2022), the reworking of their 2017 in the band’s 2023 release The Leaves of Autumn Symmetry, Lemon On Plastic (2024), Art History (2024), and Perennial ’65 (2025) and an album of remixes, reworkings and additional tracks in “A” is For Abstract: The Complete Art History (2025). I’d recommend looking into all of them once you’re done with this Spotlight. There are links below but I recommend starting with the band’s Bandcamp page.

Looking into the band and their upcoming album Modernism a bit more, the press release explains, “Perennial is sharp, quick, ferocious, focused. Their bruising, bombastic sets come and go before you know it: all over but the sweating. 20-minute marathons, on stage and wax. On Modernism, the New England mod trio’s newest LP, that lightning-strike chic is devoted to a pocket-symphony rave-up — 10-songs built from all the keenest bits of The Who, The Blood Brothers, Otis Redding, Stereolab, MC5, Wilson Pickett, and Le Tigre. Op art to dance to. Mellotron loops bracket electric feedback squalls; freakbeat riffs tangle up beneath Stax/Volt hooks. The band’s deep, eccentric record collections turned into a 1,200-second action painting./With their longtime producer Chris Teti (The World Is A Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid To Die), Perennial has added layer after layer to their sharp mod collage: free jazz, ambient electronica, big beat, dub, Musique concrète, all within explosive 90-second sprints. Modernism is their best/catchiest/densest LP yet. The hooks pile high and stick fast atop dance floor strata of fuzz bass, tambourine, and Vox Continental organ jabs. Modernism marries the experimental to the ecstatic, the impressionistic to the incendiary…” How could one not get excited by a band with those influences and love of so many genres and subgenres of music throughout time?

Exploring the single that is our Singles Spotlight today, one that serves as a fitting intro to the band, the press release leaves us with a quote from the band, “’What’s New On The Beat Scene’ was really fun because we went in with this very sharp Booker T. & The MGs / Rubber Soul groove and this big hooky chorus, and then just started adding and subtracting to see what might fit. We wanted a tight, swinging pop song, but we also wanted to see how psychedelic we could make it — fuzz bass, mellotron, Vox organ through a wah pedal: you name it.” I love every word of this descriptive paragraph above. Been excited for this one since I heard the song for the first time. 

The song, “What’s New On The Beat Scene,” comes out of the gates propulsively with some energetic guitar, rock steady drums, and a melody that moves forward quickly. It’s a blistering adventure of less than 2 minutes that will immerse your ears and brain as you listen. It won’t feel like 2 minutes, and you’ll listen on repeat. I guarantee it, I’ve been in your shoes hearing this song for the first time. The fuzz is great as is the vocal tone and delivery that are punk and rock in spirit. There are elements of pop and artistic expression throughout. The song seems to end abruptly before you’re ready to let go. Listen on repeat.  Listen for yourself, what’d you think?  Let us at SWT know.

Check out the creative colors and visuals within the video for the song, “What’s New On The Beat Scene” from Ernest Jenning Record Co’s YouTube channel:

(All credits and rights to Perennial and Ernest Jenning Record Co.)

The cover art for Modernism:

The track list for Modernism:

1. Modernism
2. Perennial ’65
3. Cloak & Dagger
4. Me and The Magpie
5. Granny Smith Apple
6. The Shadow
7. What’s New On The Beat Scene
8. Baby, Are You Abstract?
9. Ready! Steady! Go!
10. Emma Peel

Alex M Theel

Co-Founder, Reviewer, Content Creator, Business side, Editor at Scummy Water Tower Productions | Web

Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com