NYC Scene Report – Talon, Fraternal Twin, & EXP

This week’s NYC Scene Report features Talon with a punchy self-love anthem, Fraternal Twin mixing up some “Medicine,” and the rock collective EXP shouting “Hey Kid.”

* Kicking things off this week is the latest single from Talon, it’s titled “Britney Spears,” and it’s another example of why the queer rockers are one of NYC’s must-hear bands of 2026.

An anthem about self-discovery, and self-love, through fruitless attempts at imitation, and trying to fit in, the punchy chorus – which is matched by some equally punchy choreography in the video – exclaims, “I can’t tell you who I am, I can only tell you who I’m not.”

After checking out the song, and video, I think you’ll agree on who Talon are – a seriously kick ass foursome everyone should be cranking up.

* Fraternal Twin are gearing up for the release of their next album, Halo Fell Forever, which is due out September 4th, and will include the new single, “Medicine.”

Discussing the song in a statement, the band’s frontman, Tom Christie, said, “‘Medicine’ is a very special song to me, and my favorite on the record. It has a lot to do with anxiety, rumination, and deciding to get on antidepressants, hence the title. It’s about me wanting to reconnect with the person I remembered being years ago, and lost somewhere along the way during a long bout with clinical depression. I’m happy to say I’ve found him again – ‘I’ll know it when I see him / My spirit guide from the photographs.’ I am forever thankful for this song.”

Check out the official video for “Medicine,” which was directed and filmed by Nara Avakian (of the band Nara’s Room), and hear Christie get reacquainted with himself.

* It’s time to get a little strange, and for that we have the new Brooklyn-based avant rock collective EXP.

A supergroup that features members of Cop Shoot Cop, Lubricated Goat, Swans, and Live Skull, EXP’s eponymous debut album will be out September 4th via Reptilian Records, and the latest single off it is titled “Hey Kid.”

The band described the plot of “Hey Kid” in a statement, saying, “The song’s protagonist is a cross between a cantankerous old duffer yelling for the kids to get off his lawn, and a 21st century snake oil salesman.”

Like I said, we’re getting a little strange, so click play on “Hey Kid,” and experience EXP.

For more of the best of NYC’s indie music scene, come back next Wednesday, and check out the archives for previous columns.