Photo by Danielle Parsons

Anthony Family is the alter-ego of CEREMONY guitarist Anthony Anzaldo. Spoiler: his music under the moniker does not sound anything like the visceral hardcore-punk grated for the pit à la Violence, Violence nor the eventual post-punk glum spirited through the Rohnert Park greats’ latter work. That actually isn’t too surprising either when you consider he’s been a driving force behind the band’s sharp sonic evolutions every step along the way. You may have even caught him a few weeks ago — a giant Prince purple rain umbrella in tow — taking in the spectral hues of synth-pop like Alison Moyet and OMD under drizzled skies at this year’s Cruel World festival. In his own right, Anzaldo has dabbled in fronting his own cold wave exteriors through various incarnations over the years, but something about Anthony Family sounds fully formed in its lust, be it for a life authentic that brushes against societal norms or more carnal, intimate fantasies, for ’80s alternative pop on “Your Dress On Me” and “Sex In The Car”, the double feature lead singles from his forthcoming debut album, Live From An Ordinary Place. On the former, he adorns a sensuous caress over his own body beneath a basking red neon light of retro dreamscapes, and the latter, designing his song with sleek lines and beaming synth headlights that radiate out onto the blacktop. At this trajectory, Anzaldo’s vehicular innuendos have the natural makings for a future addition to the aforementioned Cruel World or Substance lineups that will satiate those looking for their modern day Yazoo and Howard Jones fixes accented with subtle black eyeliner while leaving his own burgundy lipstick prints on the driver’s side mirror.

Anthony Family’s Live From An Ordinary Place will be released August 1st on Pure Noise Records.