Bumpin Uglies: A Decade of Hustle and Adaptation

Bumpin Uglies knows all about hustle. This Maryland reggae-rock band spent over a decade on the road, starting with local open mics and backyard parties and evolving into road warriors with sold-out shows in clubs and prime spots at festivals nationwide. Then the pandemic hit, and touring came to a halt.

Lead singer and guitarist Brandon Hardesty wasn’t ready to sit still. Instead, Bumpin Uglies adapted by returning to backyard parties around Annapolis, adding socially distanced concerts, and full-band livestreams. In fall 2020, they began releasing a new song every month as part of the Never Ending Drop project.

“We felt like prospectors going out and trying to find gold — it was just uncharted territory,” Hardesty says. “We had to figure out a way to make a living. That’s what being a musician during Covid felt like to me. You can do it, but you have to be bold.”

Hardesty has been bold from the start. He was waiting tables when he started the band in his early 20s. With an ear for melodies and the determination to succeed, he poured his time and energy into making Bumpin Uglies a success. For years, the band handled everything themselves, from booking shows to releasing albums, building momentum that eventually became self-sustaining, and Hardesty wasn’t waiting tables anymore.

A musician with a strong work ethic, Hardesty found ways to take advantage of the sudden surplus of time at home. He spent time with his toddler son, welcomed a new baby with his wife, and wrote a ton of songs. For the first time, he approached songwriting as a discipline, dedicating time daily to working on new music.

“I just woke up every morning, made a pot of coffee, and worked from a running list of ideas on my phone for hooks, riffs, and progressions,” he says. “I sat down every day and made myself write a song, and 85 percent of them were pretty good. And it was awesome. I really enjoyed the process.”

The result is the band’s seventh studio album, Mid-Atlantic Dub, which they recorded in 2021 and plan to release this fall. After showcasing the breadth of Bumpin Uglies’ influences on the Never Ending Drop, from folk to classic country to hip-hop, Mid-Atlantic Dub brings the group — also featuring Dave Wolf on bass and vocals, Ethan Lichtenberger on keyboards, and TJ Haslett on drums — back to their core sound.

“It’s very groove-focused,” Hardesty says. “It’s very hooky, very vibey. It’s very accessible, but there was no compromise on the storytelling or the lyricism.”

Hardesty had a lot on his mind while working on Mid-Atlantic Dub. He had recently lost his father while stepping into his role as a dad and letting go of the vestiges of childhood, all during the uncertainty of a global pandemic. It’s all there on “Slow Burn,” featuring Jacob Hemphill from SOJA. “Before the oak you got the sapling and the seed / Before you triumph you will swallow a defeat,” Hardesty sings over unhurried upstroke guitars and a deep-pocket beat.

“I was doing a lot of growing up during Covid,” he says. “It was very much like a survival thing, and when you’re in that kind of mode, it forces you to cut a lot of bullshit out of your life.”

What’s left, in Hardesty’s songwriting and his daily life, is what’s real, and what’s real stands a solid chance of connecting with an audience that appreciates openhearted lyrics paired with a tight reggae-rock vibe.

“For me, it’s just all about honesty,” Hardesty says. “That’s what I listen for when I’m listening to music. I want to feel like whatever the author’s saying is honest.”

Who is Bumpin Uglies?

• Brandon Hardesty – Vocals, Guitar
• Dave Wolf – Vocals, Bass
• TJ Haslett - Drums
• Ethan Lichtenberger - Keys, Horns
• Will Lopez - Sax, Guitar