Oct 21, 2022
By Caleb Campbell
Photography by Jimmy Fontaine
Long Island rock band Family Dinner made an explosive debut last year with their new EP, You’re So Cool. The record hits all the right notes for a DIY rock outfit, with reference points in the worlds of hazy ‘90s alt rock and barrelling basement punk, bringing them together with a solid dose of melodic heights and bombastic style. This year, they’re keeping the party going with some upcoming tour dates with fellow indie punk outfit Pollyanna and today they’re back with a video for one of the EP’s highlights, “Eyes,” premiering with Under the Radar.
“Eyes” is not only one of the more upbeat cuts on the record, but it also makes good use of that energy by offering up one of the band’s best hooks. The track’s chorus is a pure cathartic release, coupling singer Natalie Simonelli’s vocals with towering guitars and jackhammering drum fills. When the band locks in together, they deliver melodic powerhouses with pounding instrumental presence, but they also show a surprisingly sweet undercurrent on “Eyes,” with Simonelli giving a heartfelt tribute to her cats: “No matter what I do / I’m always coming back for you / No matter where I go / You’re the only one I want to know.”
The band says of the song and video, “While the song itself is a love letter to my cats (Iommi and Leatherface) and how I can’t wait to get back home to see them, the video has kinda given it a new meaning for me. Watching the video with this song about the cats has made me realize how much I miss being on the road and being in the van every day with these 4 maniacs. Playing gigs every night with my best friends and meeting new ones. When we were on tour this summer I missed those cats everyday and thought about them every night when I sang this song but hearing it with the visuals of us on the road has made me hungry to get back out there and play in places I’ve never been, in front of new faces. We spent 10 days playing every night on our own so I’m really excited to do these few dates in December with Pollyanna, they fucking rock and I can’t wait to rock and hang out with everyone.”
Check out the song and video below, along with the band’s upcoming tour dates.
Tour Dates with Pollyanna
12/8 – Amityville, NY @ Amityville Music Hall
12/9 – Cambridge, MA @ Cantab Underground
12/10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Khyber Pass Pub
12/11 – Asbury Park, NJ @ The Saint