Cream Premiere: The Robe Stays Calm in Spite of 'Bullies' [Fresh Track]

For the past decade-and-a-half, Rollum Haas has been a Middle Tennessee music MVP. His more visible roles include his tenure as The Features' drummer, in which he provided the limber rhythmic backbone for the revered rockers, as well as his role in the expansive electronic outfit Coupler. (You'll also probably recognize him from behind the counter if you've shopped at Grimey's.)

Slowly but surely, in time carved out between stacks of other work, Rollum and his wife Katie Haas have built a project of their own called The Robe, which you might have caught on a handful of live dates this year. Their self-titled record is set for release via YK Records on June 21, and we're very pleased to premiere a track from The Robe today.

"Bullies" features clouds of keyboard harmonies and chiming guitars billowing along across a foundation of bass and drums that marches relentlessly forward. The lyric is kind of an incantation against people who try to use what makes you different against you. In an email to the Scene, Rollum explains how the song grew out of personal experience.

“The lyrics started off with the ‘Crumble flowers in my hair, bullies beware …’ line,” he writes. “To put it in context, when I was in second grade, my cousin invited me to join the ‘Girl’s Club’ at school. The initiation involved all of them crumbling dandelions in my hair. Being named Rollum, raised Hindu, taking vegetarian meals to lunch, and living in a small town in the Midwest made me stick out quite a bit, and unwittingly doing things like joining the club added to it.”

Check out the song below, and click through to preorder the record via Bandcamp. Also, follow The Robe on Instagram and watch their website for updates.