BE DECENT ANNOUNCE DEBUT ALBUM NOW'S THE TIME, SHARE "HUMAN NATURE" FEATURING TED LEO
WORDS BY ELIZZABETH DENNENY
Photo Credit: Graham Ferguson
Be Decent is a band from Brooklyn, New York, and one you definitely shouldn't be sleeping on. Formed in 2022, the band consists of four members: a singer/guitarist, a bassist, a drummer, and—arguably the best of them all—a saxophonist. Their debut album, Now's The Time, arrives September 18. The band's name originated from a Saturday Night Live sketch, but the simplicity of the phrase has stuck, becoming the foundation of the band's songwriting and its recurring message: just be decent.
The album features 15 tracks, all self-produced by the band in Brooklyn. Leading the release is "Human Nature," the album's first single, which dropped on July 7 and features Ted Leo of Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. The song bursts with infectious energy, blending the spirit of Dance Hall Crashers, David Shannon, Sublime, and No Doubt into one irresistibly catchy track. It may not be the song of the summer, but it's exactly the kind of music you'll want blasting during a late-night drive with the windows down and a car full of your best friends.
Other standout tracks to look forward to include "Try Not to Die," "Get Over It," and the self-titled "Be Decent." Inspired by the guitar tones of the early '80s, the band's sound refuses to fit neatly into one genre, seamlessly blending reggae, ska, punk, and power pop. The album also leans into punk's long-standing relationship with politics. After all, you can't have punk without political commentary—it's part of what made bands like Green Day so influential. In a time when people across the political spectrum seem more divided than ever, Now's The Time delivers a simple but meaningful reminder: regardless of what human nature may tell us, we all need to be a little more decent to one another.
More than anything, this album is meant to spark conversation. In an era where strangers rarely strike up conversations the way they did a decade ago, these songs encourage people to reconnect. I'll have this album on repeat while trying to perfect my two-step because the grooves make it impossible not to move. With its danceable rhythms, heartfelt songwriting, and memorable hooks, Now's The Time is ultimately about bringing people together—to talk, to dance, and to enjoy each other's company while remembering to simply be decent.
For more information on Be Decent, click HERE!
