I’d never heard of (or listened to) Bowling Shoes, but that can be said of so many local bands. I suppose this is why I so enjoy writing for and reading Motif — it helps me find new music while supporting lesser-known artists. It’s sort of the same way I feel about supporting small businesses rather than shopping at a conglomerate. But often enough, these little hardware stores don’t have what I’m looking for. Not just the right screw. And so I end up going to Home Depot instead. Oftentimes, these small bands just don’t do it for me, and I wind up listening to all the mega-hits and ultra-produced tracks from the million-dollar superstars that everyone already knows.
This time though, to my surprise and glee, the little mom-and-pop shop had just what I wanted; because Bowling Shoes is a gem.
Formed in 2017 by Jeremiah Bermel, Jake Lutter, and Ben Walker at the Massachusetts College of Art & Design — and later joined by Dimitri Christo and Josh Kuhn — Bowling Shoes is now based in Boston. Their newest album, Factory Pop, was recorded at Dead Moon Audio in Somerville, a garage in Quincy, and a makeshift studio in Fall River. It was mixed by Darren Lawson (Glasvegas, Spiritualized) and mastered by Felix Davis (Lana Del Rey) at Metropolis Studios. Though I’m reviewing this latest release, I first wanted to revisit their discography to put this new record, and its greatness, in context.
So far, Bowling Shoes has put out two EPs, a handful of singles, and two albums. Their debut, a self-titled EP from 2018, carries a distinctly late-2010s indie feel. Its three tracks remind me of Joy Again — a comparison that’s no small compliment, considering that band now has nearly 4 million monthly Spotify listeners and a breakout hit (“Looking Out for You”) with over 640 million streams. Like Joy Again’s early work, Bowling Shoes’ debut is stripped back, with simple instrumentation and few moving parts, making it easy to digest in the way some of the best pop often is. Fittingly, two songs from that EP remain their most popular: “Cereal Boxes,” with 1.2 million streams, and “Portland,” with an impressive 9.6 million streams.
Their first full-length album, Larry (2019), and second EP, DoomScroller (2021), expanded on their established aesthetic. This era feels tailor-made for an indie film soundtrack — probably something romantic. But by contrast, their newer work embraces risk, and it pays off big.
For me, the first real turning point came in 2023 with the single “Salmonella.” Its hook — “Throwing up like salmonella” — is accompanied by an awesome, thumping synth bassline. The lyrics tell a familiar story of drinking too much, but my mind went to darker places: jealousy, adultery, or even self-induced poisoning, Romeo and Juliet heartbreak style. It’s this darker undercurrent flickering beneath Bowling Shoes’ smiling exterior that I’d love to see them lean further into.
It reminds me of Joy Again’s “Kim,” my favorite track of theirs — poppy and fun on the surface, but undercut with the biting humor of our narrator being rejected by the titular Kim. I find so much dark comedy in lines like, “Kim! She passes judgment on me again. My only god, can’t you see. That I’m not quite worthy. Of Kim? Kim! You fucking kill me once again.” And so, given my taste for edge, complexity, and humor, it’s no wonder Factory Pop works so well for me.
The album kicks off with “Welcome to the Factory Floor,” a bold opener which reminded me of De Staat’s “Level Up” paired with classic Devo quirk. The song then transitions seamlessly into “Bang,” which carries a “She Blinded Me with Science” quality that I adored. The whole album brims with ’80s fun, goofiness, and snark. Vocally, the band is at their best here, shifting performance styles across tracks so each feels distinct, in the way James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem or Kendrick Lamar might.
The track “Laundry” recalls their older sound, and I can see this appealing most to fans of their biggest hits, “Portland,” and “Cereal Boxes.” “Get Along” mixes a ’60s beach-party feel with eccentric lines like, “I’m a squid. I hate my body.” My personal favorite, though, is “You Know What I Want,” with faux-’80s vocals seemingly inspired by The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me.” Despite countless replays, I still couldn’t tell you what the song is about — I suppose really I don’t know what they want. And I love that.
The title Factory Pop turns out to be a perfect one, as Bowling Shoes’ old bubblegum pop style is still there, only this time they’ve added a harder-hitting, mechanical drive — like pounding factory machinery.
The album blends pop-punk, new wave, indie, and comedy into something cohesive and fresh. At times, it reminded me of one of my all-time favorite bands, Lemon Demon (check them out if you haven’t).
Evidenced by this new album, Bowling Shoes shows just how much they’ve grown and sharpened their craft. If they continue on this trajectory, they have a lot of success waiting for them.In short, Factory Pop is Bowling Shoes’ strongest, most cohesive, and yet most diverse work yet. They’re currently touring New England, with a recent stop at Myrtle in East Providence. So check out Bowling Shoes, and I’ll see you when they hit the stage again.