The Abruptors (CREDIT: Chris Graue)

New York-based Ska/Rocksteady group The Abruptors have returned to release their new single, "Best Wishes, Warmest Regards," via Asian Man Records. An ode to the people in their lives that are better left behind, this is the lead single off The Abruptors' forthcoming album, Noticeably Cheerless. The new single is unrelentingly upbeat in the face of its sore subject matter and its accompanying video by fellow musician and director Chris Graue (Lo(u)ser) mirrors that perfectly. In-between clips of the band performing on stage, you can catch shots of them riding a miniature train, juggling, and getting into hijinks with goats. The black-and-white video radiates a light-hearted, optimistic attitude that is woven throughout the song.


"Best Wishes, Warmest Regards" is an allusion to popular series Schitt's Creek and features a host of horns by their resident saxophone sovereign and lead vocalist, Toni LaMantia, alongside T.J. Izzo on the trumpet and valve trombone. The track, also, features guest artist Dan Potthast (MU330, The Bruce Lee Band) on the guitar. The blend of LaMantia's and vocalist/guitarist Mike Geraci's vocals add a rich and unexpected extra layer to the song. "Best Wishes, Warmest Regards," is a goodbye song. "It's a song for someone that you're happy to see leave," explained LaMantia. Coming off the heels of big changes in the band's personal and professional spheres, the single is a final farewell to the last chapter of their lives.


"It's a shame it had to go this way / the petty fights and the child's play... Best wishes, a fond farewell / we'll be moving on while you have the same story to tell," sings Geraci. Though the subject is a somber one, "Best Wishes, Warmest Regards" is a fast-paced and upbeat track with an entertaining, wacky music video by Graue to match. Asian Man Record's label head, Mike Park, compared it to the work of Slow Gherkin. The Abruptors found catharsis in processing their emotions through writing and think many listeners will be able to relate to this bittersweet new song. The Abruptors are made up of Mike Geraci (lead vocals/guitar,) Toni LaMantia (lead vocals, keys, saxophone,) T.J. Izzo (valve trombone,) Alex Schultz (drums,) and David "Wolfman" Delvalle (bass.)

The Abruptors' Noticeably Cheerless album cover (SOURCE: FIFTYcc)

Though The Abruptors were established in 2015, Park says, "they still feel like a new band" and is excited for the opportunity to release Ska music once more on Asian Man Records. The Abruptors are excited to be releasing music with their new sound and to be a part of what Park calls another Ska "renaissance." The Abruptors are a Ska band based out of Buffalo, New York that have a lot to say about emotion, fear, relationships, and life's other disasters. Formed in 2015, the band's sound has evolved over the years, into a blend of Ska, Reggae, and Rocksteady that they feel fits their dogged, upbeat vibe. Since The Abruptors signed with Asian Man Records that year, the band has cemented themselves in the Buffalo Ska scene. "Best Wishes, Warmest Regards" is now out on Spotify, Apple Music, and other major streaming platforms. The Abruptors' follow-up to Love & Other Disasters (2019) Noticeably Cheerless will be released in the fall of 2022.