The Bends Deliver New Single 'Smoking In Bed'

Official Announcement | Published: Apr 10, 2026 12:30 PM EDT

() The Bends release their brand new single, "Smoking In Bed" via Warner Records. The track follows the band's previous singles "Tango" and "Lips" and is about bassist Chase Perkins' relationship with ADHD drugs.

The song pairs a rough, slightly unsteady electric guitar riff with a glitchy beat, adding a layer of modern edge and grit to the overall sound, marking the next page in the band's new chapter.

Chase Perkins says, "The verse lyrics were originally about my love-hate relationship with ADHD drugs like Adderall and my struggle to balance needing them to get through life while having to simultaneously deal with their side effects. I thought it would be interesting to personify the drug as a romantic interest and see how painting the medicine in that light would alter my perspective towards the subject. I'm discussing how it would keep me awake late and how writing music was one of the only viable ways to deal with the strung-out side effects. It's an abstract description of my shaky relationship with Adderall."

The Bends' 2025 EP, Leeward Drive, featured their single "Virginia," penned by lead vocalist Hayden Field alongside Kevin Griffin of fellow Baton Rouge-born band, Better Than Ezra. Sparked by a voice note of a melody exchanged between Field and Griffin, "Virginia" captures the infectious energy of the four piece band's college town roots-an origin shared by both The Bends and Griffin's Better Than Ezra, who, though decades apart, all emerged from the same LSU scene.

Expanding beyond their Baton Rouge beginnings, The Bends set their sights on Nashville. There, a mutual friend shared their demos with Brad Shultz of Cage the Elephant, who was immediately impressed and soon teamed up with the band to produce Leeward Drive's centerpiece track, "The Fence."

The Bends' grassroots momentum has attracted a growing fanbase eager for not only their electric live show, but original music, too. Inspired by the textured vocals and garage rock style of bands like The Strokes, Kings of Leon, and Cage The Elephant, The Bends released their debut track, "Makeup," last year, which reached the Top 5 on Spotify's Viral Chart. Their follow-up tune, "Weekend Love," notched a coveted 'Advance Placement' slot on SiriusXM's Alt Nation channel.

Following their fall "Leeward Drive Tour" and three headline shows in Texas, The Bends are continuing to tour, opening for Houndmouth and Ole 60. The tour kicked-off on March 13 in Columbus, Ohio and is hitting a number of cities across the US including Charleston, South Carolina, Atlanta, Georgia, and more. Tickets are on-sale now and can be purchased here. See full list of tour dates below.

APRIL
April 16 - Tipitina's (New Orleans, LA)

April 17 - Fred's Bar (Baton Rogue, LA)

April 23 - Georgia Theatre (Athens, GA)

MAY
May 1 - The Refinery Charleston (Charleston, SC) *with Houndmouth

May 2 - Tabernacle (Atlanta, GA) *with Houndmouth

May 14 - Asheville Yards Amphitheater (Asheville, NC) *with Ole 60

May 15 - Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre (Charlotte, NC) *with Ole 60

May 16 - Red Hat Amphitheater (Raleigh, NC) *with Ole 60

JUNE
June 5 - Let's Go Fest (Crownsville, MD)

June 18 - Summerfest (Milwaukee, WI)