Photo by Colin Medley

Ducks Ltd. really do have some balls if they’re going to come out here naming their forthcoming third studio effort Harm’s Way when there is literally a beefcake-bodied hardcore band of the same name right there who recently put out a solid new album of their own this past year. Just imagining a bunch of powerlifting bros typing “harms way” into their streaming service of choice and instead of aggro-macho testosterone thrashers tailored for the pit, the algorithm meets them with a sweet surprise of crisp, jangled indie-pop like the album’s lead single “Hollowed Out” predicts many a moment of galaxy brain hitting under the squat rack. There’s still some heavy lifting going on here, however, as Ducks Ltd. have bulked up their their steadfast spark in the form of inviting members of Ratboys and Dehd into their fold. Joining Tom McGreevy and Evan Lewis, they dig deep into the realization that the true pit of life is that of our social decline at the hand’s of a select few wealthy. Maybe the music is too handsome for its own good to hit heavy, but the thoughts behind it surely do…

Ducks Ltd.’s Harm’s Way will be released February 9th on Carpark Records.