NYC’s The Thing is back, dropping two new singles, “Alive (The Sword)” and “Holy Water,” off their upcoming self-titled third album.
Set to arrive in full on August 6, the band has been releasing the album in thematic A/B-side pairs over recent months. Rooted in NYC’s gritty rock legacy and driven to reinvent it, The Thing recorded the album entirely analog, self-producing and tracking live to tape with no computers involved. The result is their most raw, immediate sound.
Now officially entering the back half of the album, The Thing showcases their skillful balance between restraint and release.
“Alive (The Sword)” crashes in like a viking ship on the high seas, steadily building throughout its journey. Guitarist/vocalist Jack Bradley describes the track as a moment to reflect on “having patience and becoming the person you know you should be — having faith and resisting the urge to jump the gun, which is something [I] struggle with.”
The six-minute epic “Holy Water” drifts from a Beatles-like melody into a Radiohead-like atmosphere, anchored by the jazz training of drummer Lucas Ebeling. “It came out really organically,” Bradley said. “All of us just playing—letting the first part completely die out, then kick back in with the same chords and same song, but with a different inflection.”
Both tracks unfold as slow burns—a moment that might offer a brief pause in a live set. Yet, The Thing maintains a steady command, holding their audience in an entrancing grip.
Each A/B-side release is accompanied by a piece of artwork that will eventually form the complete album cover.
The early singles have conveyed the band as both resilient and unbound, earning them the cover of Spotify’s Fresh Finds Rock and praise from All New Rock, New Noise, and previous nods from Rolling Stone and AltPress.
“Splitting the difference between classic garage skronk and a metallic murk that eschews doom for grime, the Thing can sometimes seem at war with their own desires: They’re as eager to play heavy riffs as they are to deliver a clean melodic punch.”
Rolling Stone
The Thing is more than just a New York band; it embodies an ethos rooted in a return to rock & roll’s origins— from the grit of garage bands practicing between family minivans, to the distinctive creative alchemy of groups like The Beatles, and a commitment to tape machines and live recordings rather than polished studios and multiple songwriters.
“We’ve kind of adapted the ethos of: with restriction comes creativity — old becomes new. And throughout every part of the process that remains true,” Bradley said.
Their upcoming self-titled third album, out August 6 on their own label, is a raw, 12-track collection that pulls from across decades and genres—from The Kinks to The White Stripes—while remaining unmistakably their own.
“It showcases all of us, all of our different personalities,” says bassist/vocalist Zane Acord. “We’re a true band. We all have the spotlight, and I think that gives us a different edge.”
The four members of The Thing come from diverse musical backgrounds. Acord, raised by a drummer father, met guitarist/vocalist Michael Carter, an avid Beatles fan, in middle school. They later linked up with Bradley in high school, an aspiring producer drawn to psych rock. Drummer Lucas Ebeling joined when the band converged in New York.
Their self-titled record is a culmination of that collective hustle. “We threw all of our influences in—every decade of rock and roll, every adjacent genre—and ended up with something of our own,” says Bradley. “Our contribution to the genre. Our style. Our… thing.”
Since forming in New York City in 2022, The Thing has played over 300 shows across North America and Europe, quickly becoming torchbearers of the city’s evolving rock scene. Known for their relentless work ethic, dynamic live performances, and staunch DIY ethos, the band’s sound bridges NYC’s rock past with its modern future.
Following a standout week at SXSW and recent NYC dates with Wine Lips, the band is now on an extensive European tour, with stops in London, Nottingham, and major festivals including France’s Relache Festival, The Netherlands’ Best Kept Secret, and Germany’s Freak Valley.
In July, they’ll return home for a summer residency at NYC’s Night Club 101. Tickets are on sale now.
Both singles are available to stream now on Youtube, Spotify, or Apple Music. Follow The Thing for updates on Instagram and Facebook.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES
EUROPE
June 4 – Perpignan, France – Le Nautilus
June 5 – Zaragoza, Spain – La Lata De Bombillas
June 6 – Bordeaux, France – Relache Festival
June 7 – Sopelana, Spain – La Atalaia de Gardoki
June 8 – San Sebastian, Spain – Dabadabass
June 9 – Seignosse, France – Black Flag
June 10 – Nantes, France – Venue TBA
June 12 – London, England – The Shacklewell Arms
June 13 – Nottingham, England – JT Soar
June 14 – Amiens, France – Péniche Célestine
June 15 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands – Best Kept Secret Festival
June 16 – Kusel, Germany – Kinett
June 17 – Brussels, Belgium – La Source
June 18 – Berlin, Germany – Neue Zukunft
June 19 – Siegen, Germany – Freak Valley Festival
June 20 – Frankfurt, Germany – Dreikönigskeller
June 21 – Memmingen, Germany – Mood Club
NORTH AMERICA
July 10 – New York, NY – Night Club 101
July 17 – New York, NY – Night Club 101
July 24 – New York, NY – Night Club 101
August 22 – Amagansett, NY – The Stephen Talkhouse
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