By Bob Makin
originally published: 08/29/2025
The Makin Waves Song of the Week is “New Years at the Airport” from Yawn Mower’s brand new sophomore LP, “I Just Can’t Wait to Die,” on Mint 400 Records. PHOTO BY MELISSA MCLAUGHLIN
Asbury Park alt-rocker’s Yawn Mower are celebrating their 10th anniversary with a release party on Aug. 30 at the Wonder Bar for “I Just Can’t Wait to Die,” their second full-length album on North Jersey-based Mint 400 Records.
The LP’s third single, “New Years at the Airport,” is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.
As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “New Years at the Airport” also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on Aug. 29 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you can tune in any time in the archives at The Penguin, Mixcloud and RadioJersey.net.
"I had this image of someone sitting at the gate getting a notification that their flight is delayed, and they won’t get home in time to see their family and friends on NYE — irritated and pissed,” said Mike Chick, the band’s co-founding singer-songwriter-guitarist.
“There’s a lot going on in this song,” Chick continued. “The first two lines about the priest are probably my favorite on the record. ‘This town is gonna break my heart again’ is about Asbury Park, how it’s evolved over the past 20 years, and everyone’s varying opinions about where the town is going. The ‘scratched by a ghost’ part is about an actual run-in with a Dayton, Ohio local when YM was on tour in November 2023. We asked this maintenance guy at our Airbnb if there was anything we should see in Dayton before we headed to Chicago. He bluntly replied, ‘Nah, you can just leave.’ That night at the gig, a bartender told us she was scratched by a ghost in a dream."
Originally, a two-piece with singer-songwriter-drummer Biff Swenson, the funny fuzz-rockin’, hook-laden Yawn Mower expanded with the release of their 2022 full-length debut, "To Each Their Own Coat," also on Mint 400.
The band now consists of bassist Dana Yurcisin, guitarist Rudy Meier, and violinist Nicole Scorsone, 2024 Makin Waves Award winner for Best Instrumentalist.
The album’s drums were tracked by Evan Bernard at Jamtown in Philadelphia. Bass was tracked by Steve Riccobano in Brick. The rest of the album was engineered, produced, mixed and mastered by the Yawn Mower crew at all of their various houses and apartments.
“A true DIY effort,” Mike said.
The LPs follow several EPs and singles released since 2016, as well as its first two singles, “Rascal” and “Geothermal Springs.”
On Aug. 30 at Asbury’s Wonder Bar, Milk St. will share the bill. The show kicks off a Northeast tour that also will include Aug. 31 at Cafe Nine, New Haven, CT; Sept. 1, News Cafe, Pawtucket, RI; Sept. 2, Neue Komplex, Allston, MA; Sept. 3, Junktiques Collective, Burlington, VT; Sept. 4, Button Stage Factory, Portsmouth, NH; Sept. 5, Radon, Orono, ME, and Sept. 6, Son of Egg, Rensselaer, NY.
Yawn Mower also will play Oct. 11, Low Dive, Asbury Park; Oct. 24, The Kill Shed, Toms River, and Nov. 8, Asbury Park Brewery.
Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and contact Bob at [email protected].
New Jersey Stage is proud to be the home of Bob Makin's Makin Waves column since 2017. His Song of the Week column comes out every Friday. He also writes an Album of the Month and Interview of the Month as well.
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