PUBLIC OPINION ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM
Photo: Michael Dubin
Denver’s own punk provocateurs Public Opinion are set to return with their sophomore full-length, The Curse of Public Opinion, which drops 7th August 2026 through SideOneDummy.
The record is a lean, mean 23-minute assault defined by defiant anthems that explore the heavy weight of existential dread. It delivers a sharp, sneering blend of 2000s garage rock attitude, timeless punk melodies, and the raw intensity of hardcore. While many albums aim to inspire listeners to stand back up, Public Opinion provides the ideal score for those moments when you’re still on the ground taking hits.
Accompanying the album announcement is the release of the ferocious opening track, ‘Balloon Man Running.’ The single is a concentrated dose of pure frustration, driven by the kind of primal rock & roll riffs that most modern bands are too timid to attempt.
Since their 2020 debut in the Denver hardcore circuit, Public Opinion has transitioned from scrappy proto-punks into the massive, anthemic force showcased on this new LP. Working alongside producer Brett Romnes, known for his work with Anxious, I Am The Avalanche, and Hot Mulligan, the band has crafted a sound that feels enormous, effectively balancing melodic sensibilities with sonic chaos. On the lyrical front, frontman Kevin Hart (no, not the comedian) dismisses the shallow "therapy-speak" and hollow motivational trends found on social media. Instead, he offers authentic, world-weary aggression designed for those who just need to vent. “A lot of bands make music about feeling bad but they’re so dialed-in. I think our message is a little more messy, but a lot more human,” Hart notes. “At the end of the day I’m kind of a quiet, angry guy. I don’t explode, I implode. So when it comes to the songs I don’t try to stop all that from coming through."
Fans can expect to see plenty of the band on the road this year. Their heavy touring schedule begins this week with a North American spring trek alongside Drug Church and White Reaper, followed by a newly announced string of summer dates with Squint in June. The full list of performances is detailed below:
Upcoming US Shows:
4/24 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall
4/25 Cleveland, OH @ The Roxy
4/26 Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Hall
4/28 Toronto, ON @ Opera House
4/29 Troy, NY @ No Fun
4/30 Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw
5/1 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
5/2 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
5/6 Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club
5/7 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 505
5/8 Asheville, NC @ Eulogy
5/9 Nashville, TN @ The Basement East
5/11 Jacksonville, FL @ The Albatross
5/12 Orlando, FL @ The Abbey
5/13 Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum
5/14 Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
5/16 Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
6/2 Denver, CO @ Hi Dive $
6/3 Kansas City, MO @ recordBar ^
6/4 Des Moines, IA @ xBk ^
6/5 Springfield, IL @ Dumb Records ^
6/6 Evansville, IN @ Fuschia ^
6/7 Indianapolis, IN @ Healer ^
6/8 Milwaukee, WI @ Anodyne Coffee Roasters ^
6/9 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean Downstairs ^
6/10 St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway ^
w/ Drug Church, White Reaper, Spy
^ w/ Squint
$ w/ Lip Critic
