Freezing Cold has a penchant for diving into the familiar, relatable moments of being alive. On their sophomore release, Treasure Pool, the indie rock three-piece from New York explore these moments with a musical curiosity that sets this album apart from previous recordings, examining the effects of time on our hearts and minds.

The band was co-founded in 2017 by seasoned indie-punk musicians Angie Boylan (touring/session drummer in Sleater-Kinney, Aye Nako, Cheeky) on drums and Jeff Cunningham (Bridge & Tunnel, Ordinary Lives) on guitar and vocals, both of whom grew up playing in bands on Long Island and became friends through the DIY punk scene in the early aughts.

Freezing Cold released the three-song Demo 2017 followed by their debut album, Glimmer, in 2019. Shortly after, Leanne Butkovic replaced the band’s previous bassist—an exciting addition, as Butkovic brought a new perspective and fresh energy to the band. The three gained momentum and booked a short tour that disappointingly never started—the first date was March 13, the same day the US declared COVID-19 a nationwide emergency. Realizing live music would be paused indefinitely, Freezing Cold remotely wrote and recorded Stuck on Hold/Drawn to Scale EP in 2021. The process felt both therapeutic and exhilarating during a time when there was little of either feeling, and they came out knowing that they wanted to record a full length together when lockdown ended.

The band took their time making Treasure Pool, writing songs collaboratively (aside from the lyrics, penned by Cunningham) and mapping them out on a whiteboard in their practice space. “On our first album, we were still figuring out our sound and the direction we wanted to take,” says Boylan. “With this new album and lineup, we had a clearer vision that I think is a good representation of who we are as a band in 2025.” They tracked the 10 songs over two years and three separate sessions at Lakehouse Recording Studios in Asbury Park, NJ with friends Eric Bennett and Marissa Paternoster (Screaming Females). Inspired by '90s alternative and indie sounds along with their own curiosities, Freezing Cold challenges classic "rock radio" structure while also embracing it on Treasure Pool, using textures and layers of catchy guitar, airy keys and synths, contagious rhythm, ethereal three-part harmonies, woodwinds, and poignant lyrics.

Opener “Backlight” highlights a box of undeveloped film from another time and what surfaces from reflecting on the past with tender vocals, pop guitars with brief moments of phase, and faint piano in the chorus like a memory. “Off Season” plunges into a reflective and dreamy Eternal Sunshine-esque meditation on the winter beach as respite with airy slide guitar, Anniversary-influenced synths, and trailing keys like birds lifting from shore. “Half Static”—a standout song with vibrancy in its bright upbeat guitars, celestial harmonies, and catchy chorus—then skitters off into the reverse reaction one can have when searching for quiet. “Measures” offers a rare moment to dance, with its origins in Boylan’s catchy, repetitive drum beat that draws from Valerie Scroggins of ESG and Riot Grrrl.

Songs “You Already Know” and “The Day” offer two different depictions of leaving, both with moody woodwinds by Boylan (clarinet) and Butkovic (saxophone). The first is a rock-forward nostalgic flashback to deciding whether or not to leave your hometown and the infinite possibilities of doing so with an introspective outro of woodwinds and keys. The latter weighs quitting a hated but needed job, briefly worded with acoustic guitars that build to an extended outro. “Eclipse” and Win/Lose” circle around themes of loss: “Eclipse” a mid-tempo rock song that features trilling guitar leads by Paternoster and portrays a lost-in-the-woods feeling while still knowing you’re moving forward, all while time slips away. “Win/Lose,” a nod to Americana in both music and storytelling, examines the end of something that one threw their heart and soul into—written during a period when small businesses in their communities were closing due to the effects of the pandemic.

Treasure Pool as an album title was inspired by a trip to the Oregon Coast where Boylan saw the tide pools appear at dusk, revealing unique habitats brimming with life. The world Freezing Cold has created in Treasure Pool is a collection of masterfully written rock songs about getting older, finding new ways forward, and staying curious. It gives life to the comfort and tension of knowing exactly where you are at.

Tracklist:

1. Backlight
2. Off Season
3. Half Static
4. You Already Know
5. Golden
6. Silhouettes
7. Eclipse
8. Measures
9. Win/Lose
10. The Day

Freezing Cold Is:

Jeff Cunningham Guitar, vocals
Leanne Butkovic Bass, vocals, saxophone, keys
Angie Boylan Drums, vocals, clarinet, keys

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Additional guitar on "Eclipse" by Marissa Paternoster

Engineering: Eric Bennett, Marissa Paternoster, James Sleeman, and Evan Rudenjak at Lakehouse Studios in Asbury Park, NJ
Mixing: Eric Bennett
Mastering: Dan Coutant at Sun Room Audio

Freezing Cold

Freezing Cold "Treasure Pool" 12"