The All-American Rejects are making their comeback count. The band has released “King Kong,” the latest single from their forthcoming album ‘Sandbox,’ out May 15 independently via Slick Shoes. It’s their first album in over a decade, and with three singles now in circulation, the picture of what that return sounds like is getting clearer and more compelling with each release.
“King Kong” is a song about leaving Los Angeles, and frontman Tyson Ritter doesn’t dress it up. “I’m from a small town in Oklahoma, and I moved back home,” he explains. “When I got to L.A., I fell into an interesting crowd. It’s a town where everyone is chasing the same industry. There’s no real life about it for me that I experienced until I left.” That clarity of perspective comes through in the track itself, which opens on a creaking acoustic guitar and sunny vocal before building through a hypnotic pulse and slippery bassline into a biting chorus that lands the central line like a punch: “You’ll always be around to let me…DOWN.” Sky-scraping electric guitar cuts through in bursts, and the song earns every one of them.
“King Kong” follows previously released singles “Easy Come, Easy Go” and “Get This,” both of which have driven real momentum across streaming platforms, alternative radio, and viral charts. The three singles together paint a picture of a band that hasn’t just returned but has returned with something to say, drawing on lived experience and a creative partnership between Ritter and the band that feels genuinely re-energized rather than obligatory.
The All-American Rejects announced at SXSW last month that a second iteration of their House Party Tour is coming, building on the viral success and fan-driven intensity of the first run. The format, intimate and unpredictable performances in unique spaces, suits a band that has always thrived on direct connection with their audience. Additional dates and details are coming soon.
‘Sandbox’ arrives May 15. “King Kong” is out now on all major streaming platforms.