The Bends Announce Debut Album 'If You Insist' for September 18 on Warner Records

The Bends Set Debut Album, Drop 'Hanging Around'

Alt-rock band The Bends have announced their debut album, If You Insist, due September 18 via Warner Records. Alongside the announcement, the band released a new single, "Hanging Around," available now on streaming platforms. The album is available for pre-order and pre-save.

The 12-track record includes previously released singles "Seasons Change" and "Smoking In Bed." According to the release, "Smoking In Bed" reached the Alternative Airplay Top 100. The band also appeared on Zach Bryan's Belting Bronco series ahead of the album drop.

Lead singer and guitarist Hayden Field explained the album title in a statement:

> "'If You Insist' is a lyric from the first track of the album, 'Off My Chest.' This line encapsulated what we feel our journey as a band has been thus far. We started the band in college for the fun of playing at our local bar. But after releasing music and beginning to tour the Southeast, the chance to commit to being a band as our livelihood became a reality. Everything had fallen into place in a way we'd only dreamed of, and so we replied, 'If You Insist.'"

The Bends formed at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and are now based in Nashville. The four-piece is Hayden Field on vocals and guitar, Ian Marmande on guitar, Jacob Rhodes on drums, and Chase Perkins on bass. Better Than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin produced and co-wrote "Virginia" and, according to the release, introduced the band to Warner Records.

'If You Insist' Track List

1. Off My Chest 2. Loadout 3. Seasons Change 4. Dance Away 5. Lebowski 6. Smoking In Bed 7. Hanging Around 8. Young Love 9. Whatever 10. Keeps Me Going 11. Last Forever 12. Sticking To The Plan

Tour Dates

The Bends are currently on their North American "If You Insist" Tour, with headline dates and support slots running through November 22. Upcoming dates include stops in Austin, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, New York City, and more. Several dates feature support from acts including Foxtide, Flamingos In The Tree, and Margot Sinclair.

Selected upcoming dates:, Aug 20 Greenville, AL, 805 After Five, Sep 9 Oxford, MS, The Lyric Oxford, Sep 11 Austin, TX, Scoot Inn, Oct 9 Los Angeles, CA, Troubadour, Nov 6-7 Chicago, IL, Lincoln Hall, Nov 13 Boston, MA, Paradise Rock Club, Nov 14 New York City, NY, Irving Plaza, Nov 20 Atlanta, GA, Terminal West

Full dates and tickets are available at TheBendsMusic.com.

For independent artists watching from the outside, The Bends are a useful case study: they built a regional live following first, let a single spread organically, and landed a major label deal through a producer connection rather than a cold pitch.