“History, what a bummer.” If that’s not the most millennial lyric ever shouted into the void, we don’t know what is. But for Stella and the Very Messed, it’s more than just a zinger — it’s the thesis statement of their latest single, “Lack of Secrets,” out today via Double Helix Records. With their sophomore album Big Familiar due September 19, the Austin-based band is swinging hard and weird — in the best way possible.

Stella Maxwell and co. are back, and this time they’re weaponizing synths, scars, and sarcasm in a track that’s as unfiltered as it is unforgettable. “Lack of Secrets” doesn’t whisper confessions — it shouts them from a glitter-dusted rooftop, arms flailing, eyeliner smudged, heart on sleeve, middle finger up.

A PUNK POEM FOR PEOPLE WHO OVERSHARE ONLINE

“Lack of Secrets” is a synth-forward pop-punk sucker punch that feels tailor-made for anyone who’s ever trauma-dumped in a group chat and then immediately regretted it. It’s bold, brash, and dripping with that specific blend of vulnerability and snark that defines so much of Stella and the Very Messed’s best work.

“This song has been worked on, abandoned, rediscovered, and ripped apart more than once,” Maxwell shares.

“Sometimes lyrics are more about what feels good phonetically, y’know?”

Yes, we do know — and somehow, that makes it hit even harder. The track’s chaotic evolution mirrors its subject matter: the messy ways we justify our bad decisions, the little lies we tell ourselves to sleep at night, the awkward dance between honesty and evasion.

And the result? A messy, catchy-as-hell anthem that feels like your most embarrassing diary entry set to the beat of a cathartic scream-along.

BIG FAMILIAR, BIG FEELINGS

If “Lack of Secrets” is any indication, Big Familiar is shaping up to be a genre-surfing, emotionally unpredictable rollercoaster. And Stella and the Very Messed wouldn’t have it any other way.

Formed in the creative petri dish of Austin’s indie scene, the band is the brainchild of Stella Maxwell and David Hawkins, formerly of cult-favorite Cruiserweight. Their current lineup — rounded out by scene veterans Chris Nine (Schatzi, Moving Panoramas), Mohadev (Stop Motion Orchestra), and Sam Rich (Black Books, Broken Gold) — is a supergroup of sorts, but without the ego. Just hooks, heart, and weirdly satisfying song titles like “Not Dynamite” and “Constable Garza Is Bad At His Job.”

“Genre-fluid” doesn’t even begin to cover it. There are synths. There are crunchy guitars. There are pop choruses that crash headfirst into moments of sincere, tender storytelling. Think Veruca Salt meets XTC with a dash of Paramore if they all grew up watching My So-Called Life on repeat.

MORE THAN MUSIC — IT’S A VIBE (AND A THERAPY SESSION)

Maxwell’s lyrical voice remains one of the band’s secret weapons: conversational, piercing, and often hilarious in its honesty. Whether she’s singing about family tension (“Big Familiar”), childhood pressure (“Keds With No Laces”), or petty grievances turned indie anthems (“Constable Garza…”), she makes it all feel universal.

Even the video for “Lack of Secrets” embraces the chaos — a technicolor lyric visual that leans into the band’s DIY ethos while still looking like something that might’ve aired during peak 120 Minutes. It’s raw, charmingly low-key, and exactly the kind of thing you’ll accidentally rewatch five times in a row.

CATCH THEM BEFORE THEY EXPLODE

The band is hitting the road this summer with stops at Viva Big Bend Festival in Marfa and a pair of high-voltage shows in Austin, including a benefit for Louder Than Hate. If you’re in Texas and you don’t see them live, that’s on you.

FINAL THOUGHTS: NO SECRETS, NO RULES, JUST BANGERS

“Lack of Secrets” is more than just a killer single — it’s a mission statement from a band that refuses to be boxed in. It’s unfiltered, unfussy, and deeply fun. If Big Familiar continues in this vein, Stella and the Very Messed may have just crafted one of the most fiercely human — and sneakily profound — indie rock records of the year.

Whether you’re a jaded ex-emo kid, a synth-pop convert, or just someone who likes their music messy and meaningful, there’s something in this band’s chaos for you.