The Key Studio Sessions: Pet Milk

Meeting at the crossroads of introspective indiepop and aggressive punk is Philadelphia’s Pet Milk. You see it in the group’s pedigree – drummer Josh Agran also plays in the mighty Paint it Black, a long standing local hardcore act, while singer-guitarist Herbie Shellenberger is an alumnus of South Philly-based Slumberland Records popsters Brown Recluse. Bassist Adam Herndon straddles both worlds, playing in dreamy local favorites A Sunny Day in Glasgow, as well as the hyper-spastic Faux Slang. Rounding out the group is singer Adriane Dalton – whose voice is warm and melodic but whose demeanor takes no guff – and guitarist Richie Roxas, who plays one six-string from two amps. Maybe one is his twee amp and one is his punk amp. I kid, but Pet Milk’s truly is a sound that doesn’t fit easily into either world – melancholic minor key musings on ex-lovers and the mid-twenties post-adulthood crash, but with a rough-hewn, gnarly edge showing that, for this crew, the fire isn’t out. Download its recent Key Studio Session below – including songs from its its 2011 EP Philadelphia Punklife, as well as a couple unreleased numbers – and catch Pet Milk in concert Saturday June 23 at Johnny Brenda’s when it plays with Arc in Round, Tadoma and Beige.