Punk energy and pure chaos meet again as N.E. Vains return with their new single “6 For 36.” The track arrives hot on the heels of their announcement that their full-length Running Down Pylons will be released through Big Neck Records — a label known for championing loud, fast, and gloriously unpolished rock. Listen here.
Formed in the strange stillness of lockdown, N.E. Vains began when American garage-punk veterans Jeffrey Thunders and TJ Cabot connected through the Budget Rock Facebook page. What started as a side project quickly turned into something raw, urgent, and strangely cohesive. The name nods to their roots — “N.E.” standing for New England (and North Eastern for Cabot, the lone Canadian). Together with Shandy Lawn on lead guitar, Bill Bates on bass, and Elvis Belushi on drums, the band wrote and recorded five spontaneous tracks in a Connecticut studio before sending them north to Cabot for vocals and melodies.
After their 2023 split 7″ with Chinese Junk, the band suffered the loss of bassist Bill Bates — a beloved figure in the Connecticut underground. His final recordings remain immortalized on that release, which the group dedicated in his honor. For Running Down Pylons, longtime New Haven musician and engineer Scott Fitch stepped in on bass, bringing fresh drive to a sound that barrels between tongue-in-cheek country punk and full-blast chaos.
From the twangy slide guitar swagger of “The Grounds” to the explosive rants of “Pinched Nerve,” Running Down Pylons doesn’t slow down or clean up — it just hits harder. N.E. Vains have no plans to stop anytime soon, but for now, this record is your perfect excuse to turn it up, cause a scene, and make some noise for the road crew.