New Granada Records and Tampa, FL’s POHGOH are excited to present “Digging,” the second track to be released from the band’s first album of new material in 21 years titled Secret Club (pre-order).
“’Digging’ is about being in such a dark place you forget what it feels like to be happy,” guitarist/frontwoman Susie Ulrey said of the track. “When I originally sketched it out at home, it felt like it was meant to be pretty and sad. But when I brought it to the band, it took on a totally different shape. Now, the second half of the song feels like the determination it takes to change your life when everything feels hopeless.”
Recorded at the Magpie Cage in Baltimore, MD with the legendary J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines) and out on Friday, September 7, Secret Club consists of 11 tracks detailing the band’s life as a unit after being apart for two decades and vocalist/guitarist Susie Ulrey‘s 15+-year battle with Multiple Sclerosis.
With a rich history within the ‘90s DIY/indie/emo scene, POHGOH was in a small league of female-fronted bands of the era alongside peers such as Rainer Maria, Jejune and Dahlia Seed whose catalog includes several singles, a split 7″ with Braid, the closing track on The Emo Diaries: Chapter One, and its 1997 LP, In Memory Of Bab.
Since calling it quits in 1997, Tampa, FL’s POHGOH has been known to break out the guitars for the occasional one-off reunion over the years. The last one reignited a missing passion and desire to write and perform music together. Susie Ulrey (vocals, guitar), Matt Slate (guitar), Keith Ulrey (drums) and new bassist Brian Roberts (Hankshaw, Murder Suicide Pact) spent the last couple of years hunkered down in their practice space revisiting the old material while hashing out fresh ideas.
Diagnosed in 2001, Susie’s lyrics touch on the hardships and struggles of living with the disease including, but not limited to, a constant worry of being a burden to others (“Business Mode”), years of chemical and drug therapies (“Super Secret Club”) and a simple nightly fight pleading with her own legs to remain still (“Who’s The You”). The album does have its ‘light in the darkness’ moments, too, with songs about the direction of the reunited band (“Try Harder”) and the sheer power of positive thinking (“Bunch”), of which she declares “I lose battles, but I win wars.” All of this set to a backdrop of crunchy, Superchunk-y guitars, even as they visit the more downtempo moments of reflection throughout the 11 tracks.
POHGOH will be making the following U.S. appearances this fall. Dates below with more to be announced soon.
09/14 – Tampa, FL – Crowbar
09/15 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
09/16 – Winston-Salem, NC – Monstercade
09/17 – Arlington, VA – Galaxy Hut
09/18 – Baltimore, MD – Metro Gallery
09/19 – New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
09/20 – Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Park Brewery
09/21 – Richmond, VA – The Camel
09/22 – Roanoke, VA – The Spot On Kirk
09/23 – Savannah, GA – Starland Dairy
10/27 – Gainesville, FL – The Fest