Releasing a debut album on New Year’s Day is no small statement for an emerging band, but Bronco arrives fully-formed with big emotions and bigger riffs on For Friends and Family. The Milwaukee four-piece brings in elements of indie rock and contemporary folk on their first full-length, tying together visceral narratives of grief, joy, and community on a collection of songs that read like the intimate vignettes plastered across the album’s front cover. As the lively chatter of a crowd gradually fades into the acoustic ballad “Drones”, For Friends and Family begins to feel like a gushy love letter to the basements, D.I.Y. venues, and house parties where communities across Milwaukee gather and share their stories through music. Highlights include the fiery power chords of “Burn”, the happy-go-lucky ode to avians “Birds! Birds! Birds!”, and the anxious musings of “Mean” and “Worry”.

The band is celebrating the album’s release with a show at Cactus Club on Jan. 2 with local openers Rat Bath, Jacob Slade, and The Keystones.