Southern California has a new supergroup on its hands, and they’re here to remind you that it’s okay to feel good. A100s — the long-gestating ska and reggae project helmed by Matt Hensley (accordionist of Flogging Molly) and Sean Wheeler (vocalist of Throw Rag) — have officially announced their debut LP, Rude and Lovely, due out July 10, 2026 via Pirates Press Records.

If that pairing alone doesn’t get your skank-step warmed up, consider this: the album was co-produced by Roger Rivas of The Aggrolites, and features an all-star cast of collaborators including members of Mariachi El Bronx, Mad Caddies, Smoke & Mirrors Sound System, and musicians who’ve shared stages with Jimmy Cliff, Symarip, Roddy Radiation, and even Tom Petty. In other words — yeah, this one’s the real deal.

The seeds for A100s were planted nearly a decade ago, back in 2017, when Hensley pitched Wheeler on the idea of a band rooted in vintage Jamaican ska and reggae, with a dash of Conjunto accordion thrown in for good measure. Hensley is no stranger to the genre — he previously played guitar and keys in the early ’90s ska outfit Spy Kids, several members of whom appear on Rude and Lovely. Between Flogging Molly and Throw Rag tours, the duo chipped away at songwriting while Hensley built a studio to bring it all to life.

The album’s title came courtesy of a chance sighting in Mexico City. “Rolling through Mexico City looking out the backseat window like one hundred times before… taking in the rhythm of the city, I see a rotulo on a beauty salon’s storefront: ‘Rude and Lovely,’ hand painted to perfection,” Wheeler recalls. He immediately called Hensley. “That’s it! The perfect statement for what we had been doing musically!”

Lead single “Too Rad To Be Sad” is streaming now on all major platforms, and it’s exactly the kind of sun-soaked, horn-kissed pick-me-up the world could use right about now. Wheeler describes the track as a message of hope and resilience — about “reminding those around us to keep their heads up. Stay in the light and remind them that they are loved, appreciated, and necessary for the bright future ahead.”

Watch the music video for “Too Rad To Be Sad” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwQeCRCe5WY

Rude and Lovely will be available on 12″ Martian Marble Vinyl and 12″ Iridescent Gold Vinyl through Pirates Press Records, with European fans able to pre-order via Coretex Records and UK fans via Plastic Head Megastore. A100s merch — tees, hoodies, and crewnecks — is also up for grabs at the PPR webstore.

Reverent to the roots, authentic to themselves, and just ramshackle enough to keep things interesting — A100s are Rude and Lovely, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Mark your calendars for July 10, 2026, and in the meantime, turn “Too Rad To Be Sad” up loud.