DC-native psychedelic rock band Argo and the Violet Queens released their debut album In Pieces on August 15, 2026. This debut album was released on the heels of their first ambitious and quite successful month-long tour.  This tour culminated in a hometown release party at The Black Cat in downtown Washington, DC.

In Pieces may be Argo’s debut album available on streaming services, but the band already has a rich presence in the DMV-area music scene. They have performed together for several years already and have put out single after single, including “It was Late,” “East from Sunday,” and “The Comedown.” Roughly half of the nine-track album has already been publicly released and performed, but the five new tracks to arrive with In Pieces are true to their sound.

In an interview, the band described the album as “varied,” “scattered,” and “laborious.” The name In Pieces comes from the sentiment that the album has tracks from across its history, since some tracks date back to 2020 while others are very new. The album’s name comes from the title of a documentary a friend of the band filmed about them. Clips for the documentary were filmed approximately every six months, and the band liked it so much they borrowed the title for the album.

That being said, it is only fitting that In Pieces should begin with “Right Time,” one of the band’s most popular songs ahead of the album’s release. “Right Time” and “Question of When” were released as singles in January 2026. The first track offers listeners a good introduction to what is to come in the album, but also what to expect of Argo in a grander sense. The instrumentation of “Right Time” shows that these musicians can pull off the complex textures they experiment with while creating something unique. “Question of When,” the second track, similarly rides the waves of intensity they introduce. They embrace the swell of the saxophone solo while keeping the contractions delicate. 

“Until The End” is the third track, and the first new song on the album. A jazzy saxophone section follows the leading vocals that sound distorted, almost like a voicemail. The track ends with a rock-fired section that culminates in utter chaos, between the drum kit, saxophone, and dueling guitars.

“Twelve Steps” is the track the band was most excited to release (the honor of overall favorite track goes to “Suicidal Squid Fishers”). In true Argo fashion, the track begins with upbeat synths and guitars, harkening back to a performance reminiscent of The Cure earlier this summer at Jammin’ Java. The new-wave, post-punk ‘70s elements manifest differently throughout the album but are in full force here.

“Live In This Life” follows a similar ‘70s groove, this time leaning more into a bluesy texture. This slower track feels more methodical and meditative than the others. That feeling matches the lyrics, which speak of moving on and flying solo.

“What’s So Wrong?” matches the slow beat of “Live In This Life” initially, though it brings a grunge-y texture straight from the ‘90s. A melancholy guitar melody matched with a marching drum beat and pick scrapes at the more intense moments conjures a likeness to Radiohead. “Caught In Between” follows this thread, but brings back more ‘70s elements. Caught somewhere between Kurt Cobain-esqe delivery and the backdrop of 90’s rock, we found we could listen to this song alone for hours on end.

Out of the ethereal groove of this “What’s So Wrong?” and others, Emme Pivetta’s saxophone pierces through the distorted symphony. This is one of many instances throughout the album that Pivetta’s saxophone makes its distinct appearance. Throughout the sonic fabric of the album, it is remarkable to hear this instrument incorporated into the peaks, valleys, and accentuations of songs.  We recommend listening to the album in its entirety just to hear the interplay of all these instruments delivering unique psychedelic symphonies to the listener.

This album can be listened to from “Right Time” to “Far Too Long” on a psychedelic journey, or you can dig deep on repeat on certain your favorites like “Question of When,” “Suicidal Squid Fishers,” and “What’s So Wrong.”  End to end or infinite repeat, join them on the sonic journey and lean into what resonates with you. The album has something for everyone, and on each listen, we found the next song we wanted to dive and settle into.

When asked about what they want listeners to take away from the album, vocalist and guitarist Arav Goswami emphasized the uniting features of music. “I’ve always wanted to take different dance elements from all different genres, and I think that’s something we do. I’m certain songs like ‘Squid Fishers’ are more new wave, kind of disco-y. In my mind, [music] is an outlet for people. Listen to music, engage with some sort of culture, all these disparate elements of culture that are all in one package,” he said.

The band was also sure to emphasize that their live sets are very different from their recordings available online. Given that the last time we saw them, they were joined by a full orchestra, we believe them.  

The album distills the essence of who Argo and the Violent Queens are, but if you see them live, be prepared for a performance you will not soon forget: Frenetic energy and explosive enthusiasm. If you get to see them with a full orchestra, expect nothing short of a Polyphonic Spree experience unfolding before you.

Speaking of their live orchestra performance, we have to point out the complex instrumentation and literal orchestra parts written by bassist Erl Fantilaga. Fantilaga wrote sheet music for each song on the album for their orchestral delivery.

Be sure to catch Argo and the Violet Queens perform this album (and more!) live at Songbyrd on September 17, 2026 (Follow this link for tickets).