MAGNET first came across Strange Neighbors by way of their 2023 single, “Quiet Beat,” a beautifully executed rendition of a lost track written by late Gin Blossoms guitarist/cofounder Doug Hopkins. Strange Neighbors bassist Dana Bennewitz is Hopkins’ niece, and her band has certainly inherited his power-pop sensibilities. There’s also a giddy performance-art vibe that informs the new People Pleasers Pleasing People (Mint 400). A lot of that comes courtesy of singer Aidan Strange, a former musical-theater kid, complemented by drummer Beau Valentine’s own offbeat version of showmanship. And guitarist Zach Schweikert’s preference for the 12-string guitar is a huge part of the band’s “fizzy” Gen Z take on ’80s college rock.
Strange Neighbors unpack their latest release below.
—Hobart Rowland
1) “Crush”
Schweikert: “The idea for ‘Crush’ came from Chappell Roan. My girlfriend Natalie is a huge fan, so we went to see her at Brooklyn Steel in October 2023. I really think she’s just a terrific songwriter in how she can write these very specific songs about her life and experiences, but the emotions they evoke are universal. This was my sort of attempt at writing just a straight pop song, with the riff and the call-and-response thing.”
2) “Without A Head”
Schweikert: “You wouldn’t be able to tell by the finished recording, but this song started off as a country tune in the vein of John Prine, one of my favorite songwriters. Musically, I think it’s one of the more ambitious songs we’ve written and, dare say, the most Beatle-esque. I’ve had the little outro solo in my back pocket for years, and I was glad to finally find a place for it in this tune. Aidan also came up with the outro lyrics, which tie up the song super nicely.”
3) “Retrograde”
Schweikert: “I remember auditioning Beau for the band with this one. It’s one of those cases where I had the different chord structures kicking around for a long time and eventually mashed a few things together to make a song. Lyrically, this song is a little bit cryptic. I think it’s something about trying to figure out who you are but also being OK with not really knowing … or some deep emo shit like that. Sonically, the song owes a lot to the Replacements. Aidan’s little grunt noise at the beginning is straight out of ‘Unsatisfied.’”
4) “You Got Love”
Strange: “You’re in one of those relationships that just isn’t going well and you’re like, ‘Look, if this or that doesn’t change, I think I’m going to break up with you.’ That conversation keeps happening, and then finally, when you leave them, they suddenly take you seriously. They thought you wouldn’t go, and now they know how to change and can say the things you wanted to hear. But it’s just so intentionally too late. ‘You Got Love’ is speaking from that relationship.”
5) “Silk And Cyanide”
Bennewitz: “I read the memoir Between Silk And Cyanide: A Codemaker’s War, 1941-1945 by Leo Marks and always wanted to write a song about it. The lyrics went through several revisions before I revisited Killing Eve and settled on an enemies-to-lovers narrative. It finally came together when the band was jamming on the chords that eventually became the verse. I biked home from practice and finished the song that night. I wanted to emulate a Cold War spy sound—something like Messer Chups or Unloved—and the band did a great job capturing those elements while also keeping it sparkly.”
6) “Hate Me Less”
Strange: “While writing this, I was reflecting on a breakup I was putting off ending for far too long. In the end, it became a song about memories, regret, feeling messy and, ultimately, hope—but from a healthy distance.”
7) “Influencer”
Strange: “The discourse around influencers is so goddamned ridiculous and embarrassing, but you literally can’t avoid them—so it’s nearly impossible to prevent them from shaping your views. We’re trying to ‘influence’ people to listen to our music on a daily basis. How we do that morally and honestly is something we talk about. I think it’s super fun to have a catchy little ditty about such a huge topic … poking it, peeling the skin back a little bit, having a bit of a think—and a dance.”
8) “Beer At The Bar”
Valentine: “This song holds such a special place in my heart. I think about all my queer and trans friends who are terrified about the uncertainty of our existence in America right now—and how I just want to drag everyone out to the bar so they know they’re not alone. We’re still out in public existing and fighting side by side. Aidan and I talk a lot about mitigating the despair of the news online by going out and being in the community with others, even if that looks like being scared over a couple pints.”
9) “Wherever We Fall”
Strange: “This song is a reminder that there really are no adults. We’re all just children running around this earth making messes, trying to have fun and trying to find answers. It’s a reminder that relinquishing the idea of control and superiority is the only real option for us all in the end. Wherever we fall, we fall—and at least for the duration of this song, that has to be OK.”
10) “Your Last”
Strange: “This might be the first happy love song I’ve ever written. It sounds asinine, but ‘Your Last’ almost wrote itself—which is another reason it’s so weird. It came out so country. I guess it was meant to be that way—and it adds to the sweetness and campiness. Plus, if anyone has country music running in their veins, it’s Zach, Dana and Beau.”
See Strange Neighbors live.
