Catch rock band The Thing live at Moth Club this December, tickets on sale now!

What is The Thing? It’s a New York band, but also an ethos — a return to rock & roll’s roots. Think garage bands in cramped basements, the Beatles’ magic, tape machines, and live recordings over slick studios and committees of songwriters. “With restriction comes creativity — old becomes new,” says guitarist/vocalist Jack Bradley.

That spirit fuels their self-titled third album, out August 6th on their own label. Across 12 songs nodding to The Kinks and The White Stripes, The Thing channels old New York energy while sounding undeniably fresh. “It showcases all our personalities,” says bassist/vocalist Zane Acord. “We hang our hats on being a true band — everyone has the spotlight. That gives us an edge.” The album follows 2023’s Here’s the Thing and The Thing Is (2024).

The members’ paths cross like their influences. Acord, raised on Zeppelin and Grand Funk by his drummer dad, met guitarist/vocalist Michael Carter, a Beatles obsessive, in middle school. Bradley joined in high school, producing psych rock in his basement. Jazz drummer Lucas Ebeling entered when the group converged in New York in 2022. Since then, they’ve played 300+ shows worldwide.

The new record, Bradley says, is their style, their contribution, their… thing.