We’ve covered Matty Grace’s music before—whether with Future Girls, Cluttered, Century Egg, Modern Cynics and these were only some of her projects, e.g., see Rumination Year and Crisis Party—so a solo full-length always felt like a matter of time. Now that it’s here, Grace didn’t go it alone. Cheap Shame was produced by Jordan Bell (Fossil Record, Crusades, The Creeps), who also plays drums, with additional contributions from Becca Dalley (Book Buddies, G.R.O.S.S.), Chris Venoit (ex-Talk Show Host), and James Robertson (Weekend Dads, The Hemingways).

If you’ve been following Grace, you know she’s navigated some turbulent times, and the current political landscape hasn’t made life any easier. On Instagram, she shared that Cheap Shame started as an insomnia project three years ago, only to be stalled by mental health struggles. Yet despite its difficult origins, this album is anything but a downer—it’s an uplifting, cathartic collection of punk rock songs that channel frustration into something deeply affirming. Grace doesn’t claim to have all the answers (I Dunno (I’m Not a Therapist) makes that clear), but does know how to write songs that make the weight of the world feel a little lighter.

As Grace states in the liner notes: “Cheap Shame is a reminder that sometimes just making it to the next morning is enough. “It’s OK to struggle. Tell your friends you love them.” Message received.

Out now on Dirt Cult Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp