Hot Mulligan’s Post-Emo Reign Continues with Upcoming 'Why Would I Watch?'

Written by Natalie Melendez, Photo by Kay Dargs

Hot Mulligan is the modern-day voice of the still-rowdy, albeit smaller, pop punk scene. It’s a community comprised of those too young to have experienced the golden era of the scene from the late 90s to early aughts and older punks with a nostalgic affinity for those earlier days. Though Hot Mulligan themselves are more aligned with the first group, the four-piece from Michigan—consisting of singer Tades Sanville, guitarists Chris Freeman and Ryan Malicsi, and drummer Brandon Blakeley—have struck a chord with both generations. The group has been stitching together the younger and older audiences with their post-emo, pop punk anthems since 2015’s Fenton, their punchy debut EP. Eight years later, Hot Mulligan still holds the attention of both generations, and they’re just a few weeks shy of releasing their third full-length album, Why Would I Watch?, out May 12th via Wax Bodega. 

In the last few years, the self-branded “#1 Hot New Band” has quite prophetically become one of the most well-known bands in the modern underground scene—a truly remarkable feat given the seemingly impenetrable ceiling of pop-punk stardom blocked off by giants such as Blink-182 and Green Day. The band has toured with pop-punk festivals Sad Summer Fest and Riot Fest, opened for big-name bands like New Found Glory and The Wonder Years, and sold out their 2021 headliner tour in support of the I Won’t Reach Out to You EP. 

“Shhhh! Golf Is On,” the first single off their upcoming album, aptly highlights just why Hot Mulligan has afforded itself such success. The track is scathing, pithy, and full of angst; it’s everything a classic pop punk song should be. “There’s no reason you should feel the need to stay/ You’ve ruined everything you’ve touched ‘round here,” Sanville croons in his signature raspy tone, always on the verge of a yell. 

"'Shhh! Golf is on' is about my mom,” says Sanville. “I’m asking her to die. Every time I hear about her, she’s a worse person than before." And though perhaps a bit morbid, it’s the perfect topic for a band keen on the bluntly honest exorcism of emotion.

Hot Mulligan tackles the uncomfortable topics, the turn-your-stomach-inside-out and the seethe-with-rage themes of lost love, disillusion with modern life, and insecurity—just listen to 2016’s heart-wrenching “Shaylee, Shanel” and 2020’s “*Equip Sunglasses*”. The viewfinder-inspired album art for the upcoming Why Would I Watch is bound to be no different, this time largely focusing on the often-distressing themes of home and family life.