Laura Jane Grace Prepares for Another ‘Adventure’ w. Trauma

Laura Jane Grace roars into a new chapter of punk defiance and personal reinvention as Adventure Club — the long-anticipated album from Laura Jane Grace in The Trauma Tropes — arrives Friday, July 18, via Polyvinyl Record Co. But before the full-length lands, Grace has unveiled one final preview: a thundering, bittersweet anthem titled “New Year’s Day,” showcasing the raw, reflective heart of a record that’s equal parts riot and renewal.

The single comes on the heels of a powerful rollout that’s included the stomping goth-pride anthem “Wearing Black,” the explosive “Active Trauma,” and the searing social commentary of “Your God (God’s D*ck).” But “New Year’s Day” strips things back emotionally, layering Grace’s unmistakable voice over swirling guitars and a beat that sounds like midnight church bells cracking across a chaotic world. It’s a song about endings and beginnings — not just on a calendar, but in the cycles of identity, rebellion, and growth.

Adventure Club was born in the most unexpected of places: Greece. As previously reported by Racketeer Radio, Grace traveled there in 2024 as part of an artist residency with the Onassis Foundation. While embedded in Athens’ underground punk scene, she formed an ad hoc band with local musicians — bassist Jacopo “Jack” Fokas and drummer Orestis Lagadinos — alongside Paris Campbell Grace, who sings and co-writes throughout the album. What started as a brief cultural exchange evolved into a full-blown creative ignition. Together, they became The Trauma Tropes.

“This isn’t just another punk record — it’s a reckoning, a celebration, a love letter, and a slap in the face,” Grace said earlier this year. “The songs came from sea swims with turtles, from espresso highs, from ancient ruins and modern discontent. Greece cracked me open.”

The result is perhaps the most genre-fluid, vulnerable, and visceral music of Grace’s storied career. Whether she’s challenging conservative dogma with biting satire or unpacking the weight of aging as a lifelong rebel (“What does it mean to still be punk at 44?” she asks), Grace never loses her grip on truth-telling. Her songwriting walks the tightrope between protest and poetry — sometimes loud, sometimes aching, always unmistakably her.

Standout track “Wearing Black” made waves for its bold stance during Pride season, with the lyric “My pride’s a riot, it’s not a parade” echoing across social feeds and queer punk circles alike. Directed by Emily Esperanza, the video positions Grace not as a symbol but a witness — someone who knows that wearing black can be as defiant as waving a rainbow flag, and that there’s room for both.

But “New Year’s Day” is where Adventure Club reveals its soul. It’s not just about rebellion. It’s about reckoning with yourself. “There’s a deep romanticism in it,” Grace recently told fans in a livestream, “because I’ve spent decades tearing shit down. This album is about building something back up — for myself, for my daughter, for anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t belong.”

To celebrate the album’s release, Grace will embark on a sprawling North American and Latin American tour throughout 2025, sharing stages with Murder By Death, Rodeo Boys, Trapper Schoepp, and Team Nonexistent. Her live show — equal parts sermon and scream-along — promises to bring the Adventure Club ethos to life in a visceral way.

From her early days fronting the iconic Against Me! to her solo efforts and now this transcontinental punk opus, Laura Jane Grace remains one of the fiercest and most fearless voices in modern rock. With Adventure Club, she doesn’t just reclaim punk — she expands it.

Adventure Club drops everywhere Friday, July 18. “New Year’s Day” will be heard on Racketeer Radio KFQX, as all the previous releases have been. Tour dates and album bundles can be found on laurajanegrace.com.