Bands come together for a variety of reasons but the most classic reason is “the goof” or “joke band.” It’s something kind of thrown together to play a party or a show, but not serious in any way. Can’t play? No problem! No songs? No problem! All around this great land of ours, bands are being formed for the end goal of good times, good hangs, and maybe some beers. For most of them, it’s a short-lived thing that naturally falls apart for a lack of its own momentum. For a rare few, it goes on, and the joke band becomes a real thing. The Coathangers, named for the favorite tool of back-alley abortionists, are one of those who made the transition. Now, after seven years, three previous full-lengths, and a slew of singles, the Atlanta-based group are back with their latest album, Suck My Shirt (Suicide Squeeze).

Down to a trio after keyboardist Candice Jones (a.k.a. Bebe Coathanger) left prior to recording, The Coathangers have largely left their jokey past behind them. Despite the title, Suck My Shirt is a more mature release from the band. But don’t worry, The Coathangers haven’t become chin-stroking grad students. The energy of past records is still present—it’s just focused in different ways instead of jokes. To be fair, the band has grown leaps and bound from release to release, so this is a natural progression. After all, even if you’re not consciously trying, after enough years, shows, and songs, you’re bound to get better just from sheer repetition, and Suck My Shirt is a pretty well-crafted collection of songs.

One of the best things about Suck My Shirt is the variety of voices, both literally—everyone in the band has a turn on the mic—and figuratively, where there’s a variety of styles and subject matter. It goes from guttural shout to three part harmonies without missing a step or sounding disjointed. Everything from vociferous moments, (“Shut Up”) to relationship woes (“Love ’Em and Leave ‘Em”) to a requiem for a friend (“Derek’s Song”) is handled deftly. While the keyboards are slightly missed, the band more than makes up for their absence with guitars that slash, swoop, and buzz; fruitcake-solid bass lines; and tight, but playful, drum work. If this album is a document showing how far The Coathangers have come, it’s going to be great to see what happens next. Until then, Suck My Shirt is a great moment in time.