Rioting Heart

Payphones' music masquerades as bouncy, danceable, nostalgic folk-rock faire at first listen. Even their most bleak songs present new takes on familiar folk song structure, featuring driving drumbeats and an interplay of light and melodic piano with bright and percussive guitar strums. Stark verbiage, rock-inspired wailing vocals, and overt focus around queerness and disability give a modern edge to the music.