A brooding take on a post-punk classic marks the re-emergence of Pop Noir, following the indie duo’s lengthy absence from the studio. Their interpretation of U2’s seminal 1983 breakthrough hit “New Year’s Day” sees twins Joe and Luke McGarry turn to the feel of the 1976 John Carpenter thriller movie “Assault on Precinct 13” for inspiration – and the result is a slice of dark, dance floor menace that is pop at its most noir.
Formed by the McGarrys when the UK-born brothers were still students at the Orange County High School of the Arts, Pop Noir has played hundreds of shows in their adopted Los Angeles and as far afield as Paris, China, London and their native Manchester, as well as releasing a string of singles on their own Fantastic Heat label.
Away from Pop Noir, Luke McGarry has established himself an award-winning cartoonist, with a large social media following and a client list that includes MAD magazine, the New Yorker, Playboy, Vans and Coachella. Joe is a designer, programmer and filmmaker. Together, the brothers have created animated music videos for artists including Desaparecidos, Hoodie Allen and Guster, designed the look of Festival Supreme and FYF Fest, and worked with clients from VISA to VICE.
Other than occasional DJ sets around Los Angeles, it’s been quiet on the Pop Noir front while the brothers explored extracurricular pursuits. Luke has released three solo singles, issued his first full-length comic book, made his debut as a published author and appeared at comics festivals and conventions from San Diego and New York to the UK, Helsinki, France and Japan. When legendary music venue The Roxy recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, it marked the occasion by unveiling a giant Luke McGarry mural on one entire side of the building that has quickly become a tourist photo-op attraction. Meanwhile, Joe teamed up with Jeff Schroeder of Smashing Pumpkins fame in the side project Night Dreamer, edited a Super Bowl commercial, and has created music videos for Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and IDK. Together, the McGarrys directed the award-winning animated short “Chainsaw of Love.”
With “New Year’s Day,” the brothers return to their first love and start 2024 with the first in a string of planned Pop Noir releases.
