New Jersey punk legends The Bouncing Souls recently announced ‘Volume 2,’ a cheekily titled album of reimagined songs from across their catalog. Due out October 23rd on Pure Noise Records, ‘Volume 2’ was produced by Will Yip (The Menzingers, Title Fight, Tigers Jaw) and offers a new take on the timeless songwriting at the heart of the band’s three-decade career.
The album features different versions of ten classic Souls songs as well as one brand new track, ‘World On Fire.’ Today the band have shared a new version of ‘Highway Kings.’ Originally a sub-two-minute blast of rambunctious punk that appeared on The Bouncing Souls 2003 LP ‘Anchors Aweigh,’ the ‘Volume 2’ version of ‘Highway Kings’ has been reshaped into a jangly cut of country-tinged Americana. This new take highlights the undeniable melodies and heart-lifting lyrics that have always been at the core of The Bouncing Souls music with ‘Volume 2’ shining a new light on why the long-running band have remained so beloved for 30 years.
Bassist Bryan Kienlen discussed the new version of ‘Highway Kings’ saying: “One of my favorite places in the world to be is on the road, between places. It’s a unique combination of feeling free of wherever you just left and the excitement of the unknown ahead. I’m so grateful that all my favorite people in the world share my love of the highway. I penned these lyrics in our truck while doing just that, rolling down the highway on tour. It’s a celebration of what we do, and who we are, word for word. This time, we really marched into unknown territory. I had no expectations going into this, I certainly didn’t expect to end up so excited by what we accomplished. Certain tracks on this record are true departures for us, and that was so liberating, I think we’ve broken some stale molds we’d formed over the decades. The music is totally fresh, and the song lyrics really get a chance to shine in this new setting.”