Let’s Start Degeneracy, the long-awaited fourth full-length record from Microwave, is a trip. Its title, taken from a conservative politician’s take on drugs in 1970, captures the band’s newfound liberated spirit, and its tracks play by no one’s rules but their own. At various points the Atlanta trio pull together a multitude of influences ranging from ambient pop and R&B to psychedelia and yes, even Sublime.
Lyrically, Let’s Start Degeneracy is loaded with revelations, some of which came to vocalist/guitarist Nathan Hardy after experiences with ayahuasca in Peru with drummer Timothy “Tito” Pittard. As the pandemic wound down, the two reconvened with bassist/vocalist Tyler Hill and together, found their way back to being Microwave again.
“It’s about letting go of attachments and behaviors that aren’t serving you and trying to shake off your programming and not be motivated by fear and guilt and shame,” says Hardy. “It’s about learning to be happy and take care of yourself.”
