Chicago punk veterans The Brokedowns are celebrating the release of their new album Let’s Tip the Landlord, released on November 21 through Red Scare Industries. The record packs 13 sharp, fast songs filled with the band’s usual mix of anger, humor, and noisy energy. It marks their first full-length in years and shows the group taking an even closer look at the strange culture surrounding them.
The new album digs into the hidden decay under modern comfort, turning everyday buzzwords into bright targets. Guitarists and vocalists Kris Megyery and Eric Grossmann, along with bassist Jon Balun and drummer Mustafa Daka, build these ideas into tight, hard-hitting tracks shaped around loud riffs and rowdy hooks. While the band isn’t telling a full story this time, the record does circle around one odd idea: a fake miracle drug called Alpha Dog Serum X, praised by imaginary billionaires and online influencers. That theme adds an off-center tone to the songs, including the opening track, which looks at QAnon-style school board takeovers through a sharp, mocking lens.
Let’s Tip the Landlord was recorded by Joe Gac of Meat Wave and includes guest spots from Lily Choi of Chicken Happen and Bruce Lamont of Yakuza. Their contributions add extra texture to a record that blends heavy rhythms with rowdy, tuneful parts. The Brokedowns use this sound to carve into topics like hustle culture, digital obsession, and the constant noise of modern life. Even when the subjects feel grim, the band’s approach stays playful, turning frustration into something loud and strangely hopeful.
Formed in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, The Brokedowns have long mixed blue-collar grit with a dry sense of humor. Years of suburban pressure shaped their style, giving them a voice that can be blunt, funny, and still sincere. With Let’s Tip the Landlord, they continue to prove that punk energy, sharp jokes, and a bit of self-doubt can still cut through the static.
Record release shows across the Midwest—and a slot at Montreal’s Pouzza Fest—follow the album’s arrival. Watch the video for “Let’s Tip The Landlord”:
