FLESH PANTHERS, “I Wish I Woulda Known”

Traveling through the heartache of “it ain’t you, it’s me” to the relief of “no more lonesome road” in under four minutes, Flesh Panthers’ “I Wish I Woulda Known” feels like time flattening on itself. The Chicago band’s fuzzed-out sound is direct and unfussy, with a bubbly bassline under hard-stomping drums and psych-tinged guitar lines echoing The Yardbirds’ brand of shambling rock and roll. The band describes its sound as “flower punk,” and it’s an apt way to summarize the track: as the confused rage of teenage heartbreak evolves into a chorus of sunny “na na na”s, it’s a thrill to listen to Flesh Panthers bridge the gaps between peace, love, and raging.

Want to hear us talk about this song? Check out episode #110 of our podcast at hlycrp.com.