The Convenience

From the outside, it may look like The Convenience, the songwriting/production duo of Nick Corson and Duncan Troast, has been on hiatus since the release of their debut album in 2021. Propelled by the lead single "Kiss Me In Heaven,” that album, aptly titled Accelerator, gained 1 million+ streams after receiving praise from The Line Of Best Fit, Under The Radar, Bandcamp Daily, Flood Magazine, and more. Between the band’s appearance at SXSW 2022 and one headline tour in support of Accelerator, the band has been nigh seen or heard from, but Corson and Troast have been anything but inactive.

The New Orleans duo have been hitting the road hard in the time since, playing shows with Video Age and Hovvdy, and steadily working away in the studio producing, writing, and collaborating with others. Those production credits include recent projects from Rui Gabriel, Drugdealer, Maddy Kirgo, and more. The pair even scored the music for an animated short on Adult Swim that Troast's sister Chloe created.

Spending much of 2022 and 2023 on tour or in the studio, the duo has only recently refocused their sights on their own project, and the results are profound. Intentionally diverting their sound away from the synth-fueled indie pop and Prince-inspired syncopated guitar riffs that defined their first LP, The Convenience has arrived somewhere that's darker, edgier, and overall more angular. Similar to Parquet Courts, Sonic Youth, Spoon, and Cate Le Bon, the band has shifted their sound into art-rock and post-punk territory, while still retaining their playful whimsy and strong melodic instinct.

The Convenience now shares "Routiner" and "Postcard," the first glimpse of this new musical direction, released simultaneously as a pair. "Routiner" is an interweaving guitar song with a Gang of Four style beat about the highs and lows of mundane life. The song drives with its bass and jabs with its guitars, the keys paint the edges with a brighter tone and Nick Corson delivers a cool and confident vocal croon. The Raincoats-inspired "Postcard” was recorded in one take. Friend of the band (and Lawn member) Mac Folger played fiddle on the track.

The art rock-focused double single is just a taste of what’s to come from this new era of The Convenience. With a full-length album follow-up to Accelerator slated for next year and a packed touring schedule, it’s a sure bet that Corson and Troast aren’t hitting the brakes any time soon.