Retail Drugs shares explosive new single ‘manny’ ahead of upcoming album rECKless dRIVing
New York City’s Jake Brooks, the creative force behind Retail Drugs, has released ‘manny,’ the lead single from the project’s newly announced album rECKless dRIVing, out August 1 via Angel Tapes and Fire Talk Records.
‘manny’ begins with sparse acoustic strumming and builds into something far more layered and cathartic. With Brooks’ emotive vocals at the helm and his trademark tape overdubs adding weight and warmth, the song captures the raw spontaneity and sonic curiosity that defines Retail Drugs’ work. Though rooted in lo-fi textures and a post-grunge sensibility, ‘manny’ stands out as one of the project’s most immediate and heartfelt songs to date—offering a glimpse into the emotional depth of the forthcoming rECKless dRIVing.
Of the single, Brooks shares:
“I don’t smoke weed much. ‘manny’ began as a shared spliff between me and longtime collaborator Dylan Sky. Ali and I were over at Dylan’s in Eagle Rock working on what would become the first demos of Laveda’s upcoming record, Love, Darla. Ali went to sleep while Dylan and I continued working on stuff. Eventually we smoked a spliff to stay awake longer and ‘manny’ was the first thing we did after that. I think the spliff wrote the song mostly. I was doing a lot of things I wouldn’t normally do on a track. I bounced a bunch of stuff from that session to tape after Ali and I moved to NYC. This song was almost a last minute add to ilys but it just couldn’t fit the track list.”
‘manny’ sets the tone for rECKless dRIVing, a record that expands on the themes of Retail Drugs’ 2024 debut i love you so !. Where that album shrouded its grief and introspection in thick distortion, rECKless dRIVing finds Brooks sitting more directly with the emotions behind the music—creating a transitory, deeply personal collection. With a range of tracks spanning lo-fi ballads, blown-out rockers, and instrumental sketches, the album reflects both the restlessness and clarity that can emerge in the wake of loss.
As the August 1 release date approaches, ‘manny’ stands as a powerful introduction to this new era for Retail Drugs—honest, raw, and tinged with a newfound vulnerability that sets rECKless dRIVing apart in the NYC lo-fi scene.
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