Jim Lindberg, the lead singer and songwriter for the long-running California skate punk band Pennywise, has recorded an 11-song album with his side project, The Black Pacific. The album, titled Here Comes Our Wave, will be released on September 20th by Dine Alone Records, a label based in Toronto that has worked with bands like The Dirty Nil, Jimmy Eat World, and NOBRO. The album was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Paul Miner, who has worked with bands like Touché Amoré, Death By Stereo, and H2O. The recording took place at Buzzbomb Studios in Orange, CA, during two sessions in the spring and fall of 2023.
Stream the first single “I Think I’m Paranoid” here.
Pre-order the album here.
The Black Pacific released their first album in 2010 through SideOneDummy Records. Just like their upcoming album, the songs were all written and performed by Jim Lindberg, with his longtime friend and drummer, Alan Vega.
Lindberg explains, “I’ve been writing songs for Pennywise and other projects for years, so I’ve collected hundreds of demos, even old cassette tapes from decades ago. Some songs didn’t fit Pennywise, so I worked on them with Alan for The Black Pacific. People might think this new album sounds like Pennywise, but since I wrote most of Pennywise’s music and lyrics after our bass player Jason passed away, it’s more accurate to say Pennywise sounds like me. When I play guitar, this is the music that naturally comes out, no matter what name it’s under.”
The album starts with the energetic track and first single, “I Think I’m Paranoid.” Lindberg says, “I wrote this song a while back about violence, terrorism, and government conspiracies, but I updated it to include hate groups, militias, and pandemics. It’s like a panic attack set to distorted guitars at 120 beats per minute.”
The rest of the album keeps up the intensity. “No Fun” talks about sociopathic dictators causing chaos and death, while “Here We Come” tackles the looming threat of AI taking over jobs and eventually replacing us entirely. The lyrics reflect the growing frustration and fear in today’s world. Lindberg adds, “I’ve always needed to express my frustration with how humanity seems determined to destroy itself and the planet in the pursuit of power and greed. That message feels more urgent now than ever, so I couldn’t wait any longer to release these songs.”
However, the album also touches on finding hope in dreams of escape and acceptance. “Float Away” is a rare love song from Lindberg about wanting to escape with his wife, and in “I Won’t Let You Down,” he reflects on how they’ve survived everything together and now enjoy peaceful moments, waiting for “the flash of green, shining through the gold.” The closing title track, “Here Comes Our Wave,” is a “love song to a wave.” As a lifelong surfer, Lindberg finds his escape from the chaos of the world by sharing ocean waves with friends and family.
The long-awaited follow-up to their first album, Here Comes Our Wave, is a powerful and thought-provoking album from The Black Pacific. It acknowledges the flaws of our world but remains hopeful that love and a respect for nature can guide us through even the stormiest times.
The Black Pacific:
Dine Alone Records:
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