Taxidermists

"...lands somewhere between vintage post-punk and the 2010s garage rock scene spanning Ty Segall’s early fuzz-drenched work and the power-pop-inspired output of Dirtnap Records." - FLOOD on "Does the Wind Know"

“In his solo act LUCY, Cooper B. Handy imbues a boyish charm to his beats and his vocals. With Taxidermists, his longtime duo with drummer Salvadore McNamara, he brings the same energy to grittier post-punk fare” - The FADER

Taxidermists—the Massachusetts-based duo of Cooper B. Handy (LUCY) and Salvadore McNamara—today shared their new single/video “Does The Wind Know” off their forthcoming album 20247, due out March 7th via Danger Collective Records. The track, which premiered this morning at FLOOD Magazine, is short and to the point with no energy wasted, full of irresistible riffs that leave you both satisfied and instantly wanting more. “We sing together on the majority of this one,” they say. “It’s a winter mantra: ‘Does the wind know that you're cold?’ A love song. An ode to believing in what youʼre doing.” “Does The Wind Know” (available to stream at all DSPs HERE) follows the album’s frenetic lead single “Shoot,” which earned support from The FADER (Songs You Need In Your Life), American Songwriter, Austin Town Hall, and more.

Taxidermists recently announced a spring tour that will include stops at NYC’s Trans-Pecos on April 3rd and LA’s Permanent Records on April 12th; see below for a full itinerary. They are also confirmed to perform at SXSW Music Festival this March. Tickets are now on-sale and 20247 is available for pre-order.

Since meeting on Myspace as pre-teens in 2007, McNamara and Handy have wholeheartedly embraced a DIY ethos: no pretension, no gimmicks, and nothing to prove to anyone but themselves. Taxidermists operate as a band by striking a balance between virtuosic, passionate creative output and, in their own words, “just being able to shoot the shit and hang out.” This is the charm and appeal of 20247: it exudes love and warm familiarity, a clear product of two best friends working as a team to create something special. “We haven’t made a record like this in 12 years and we’ve learned so much since then,” they say. “We may not put out a ton of music, but we care about the music we make.”

During a Massachusetts winter in 2024, Handy and McNamara bought a small space heater and created the entirety of 20247 in McNamara’s garage studio while braving an average temperature of 39° F. Many of the songs were written and recorded in a single night, and the longest one clocks in at a mere 2:50. Recording everything to tape, they maintained their commitment to off-the-cuff analog output; 20247 feels rough around the edges and unmistakably human. Fractured, dynamic bursts of commotion collide with moments of measured restraint. The lyrics collage together uninhibited sketches that recollect a time, place, or feeling with abstract charm. The duo’s easy chemistry and free-spirited tendencies are a kismet combination, and 20247 sees this camaraderie reach new peaks.