M.U.T.T. Unleashes New LP with Vicious Ode to San Francisco’s Grit

Carrying the torch for San Francisco’s storied and notoriously tough underground music scene, punk rock outfit M.U.T.T. has unleashed a blistering new single, “RUNNIN’ WITH THE DEVIL.” The track, a snarling anthem about seizing chaos and ruling the underworld, is the first taste of their brand-new LP, Toughest Street In Town, which drops this Friday, June 20th, via Quiet Panic Records.

The new album is a fierce and unapologetic love letter to the band’s gritty San Francisco neighborhood—a place that outsiders might fear, but M.U.T.T. calls home. It’s a declaration of strength and a testament to the resilience required to survive in the city’s unforgiving corners.

“I don’t fear my neighborhood, I am inspired by it. I find myself thriving in the mayhem,” says frontman John Jr. “You gotta have a tough presence and a tough mind in order to survive in this part of the city. Some of you couldn’t last a week on my street. Maybe that’s why I love it so much.”

This hardened perspective is well-earned. M.U.T.T. was forged in the fire of creative limbo following the abrupt and messy dissolution of the critically acclaimed band Culture Abuse. The new project reunites alumni John Jr., Matt Walker, Isa Anderson, and Shane Plitt—four ex-touring punks who found themselves back at square one, with empty pockets but no plans to slow down.

After the split, John Jr. shared some raw home demos with Walker, who encouraged him to book time at the legendary Atomic Garden Studios with producer Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Joyce Manor, Jeff Rosenstock). What started as a solo idea quickly morphed into a full-fledged band, a conscious and deliberate pivot away from the more polished sound of their former project.

Their 2022 debut LP, Bad To The Bone, was a statement of intent, praised in underground circles for its relentless, four-chord rippers. Gone were any aspirations for radio hooks; in their place was the raw, reckless energy of Ramones-style minimalism blended with the sleazy swagger of California glam.

With Toughest Street In Town, M.U.T.T. continues that journey, digging their heels deeper into the pavement that raised them. In a city that gave the world the power-pop of The Flamin’ Groovies and the gruff, heartfelt punk of Jawbreaker, M.U.T.T. proudly carries on the legacy of no-frills, street-level rock and roll. With a nod to the punchy charm of early Joyce Manor and the chaotic spirit of contemporaries like Amyl and the Sniffers, the band isn’t trying to reinvent punk—they’re just here to play it loud, dirty, and better than most.

Toughest Street In Town is the sound of a band that has been through the wringer and come out stronger, fiercely loyal to their roots and ready for a fight. Look for it this Friday, June 20th.