Petite League comes back swinging with their new single “Bloody Knuckles”

By Gabriela Margarone

With humble roots, starting in basements, DIY shows, and emerging out of a Syracuse dorm, Petite League has delivered their new single, Bloody Knuckles, off their new upcoming album, Thrill Seekers. The single is a callback to these roots, delivering a punch of  Lorenzo Gillis Cook’s incredible vocals. Petite Leagues' discography is diverse, spanning across now 6 albums, but  “Bloody Knuckles is a song I wrote shortly after befriending someone who was heavily involved in the urban exploring scene in New York. Their nights were spent climbing some of the city’s tallest buildings and running from arrest, risking their safety and freedom for intense thrill-seeking. After living through such a sedentary period during lockdowns, hearing them talk about all of it lit me up.” 

The inexplicable fiery passion and pursuit of something personal that holds more weight than money or fame is something Petite League was founded on. Listening to them talk about their reason to be was a reminder of what mine was.”

After an incredibly hard couple of years for all of us, it's inspiring to hear other artists' stories on what pushed them to get their drive back; what lit that fire underneath them. Bloody Knuckles is a perfect example of this. It’s about the adventures we take, the reminders left behind, and what gives us this driving force to be daring and adventurous. It's got that punch that I believe can only derive from DIY and basement bands. The grit, the noise, the kick, all of it. There's a spirit in this song that can only be picked out because of these roots. All of this makes me very excited for their upcoming album, Thrill Seekers. Theres the desire to impress, to be perfect, and be polished. “All the rich kids play their heartless music / while I’m crying over my bloody knuckles’ is a line I really love and think embodies this feeling. It’s about working hard for what you want, while maybe even hurting yourself in the process just because you want it that bad.

I also really love the mention of pursuit for something that is other than money for fame. As humans, we crave experiences, connection, and to just live. Bloody Knuckles embodies the human spirit and the lengths we go to make these connections. 

Thrill Seekers is out on October 21st. You can check out merch and find links to keep up with the band here.