THE ALBERT SQUARE

Hailing from San Jose’s DIY scene, The Albert Square began as a three-piece project led by Sim Castro. After the 2015 release of debut full-length album I (Assume I) Know What I’m Doing, Castro took a hiatus from the band to focus on other creative projects. In the interim, he has developed his songwriting craft and performance chops writing, playing, and touring with notable bands such as: Kitty Kat Fan Club, Ogikubo Station, Cloudbusters, and Teens in Trouble. 

Following in the footsteps of '90s indie rock and drawing inspiration from DIY pals such as Hard Girls, Jeff Rosenstock, and The Sidekicks, The Albert Square mixes melody, imagery and pop sensibility with big guitars with punk energy.

The band's latest endeavor, the anticipated EP Swallow You Whole, showcases Castro’s evolution into a singular, cohesive songwriting voice. The project delivers a strong sense of introspection, emotion, and longing while exploring themes of loss, resignation, confusion, and acceptance.

With electrifying live performances and a distinctive sound that bridges the gap between indie rock and punk, The Albert Square returns to the musical fold as a voice of solidarity in world gone awry.

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ABOUT SWALLOW YOU WHOLE

Swallow You Whole explores the psychological toll of repeated trauma and the light that eventually breaks through. From the haunting opener “Deep Sea Diver” to the cathartic closer and lead single “Waiting for the Heartache to Heal,” Swallow You Whole is an unflinching examination of grief, healing, and acceptance.

“While the feelings of trauma captured on this record isn’t a reminder of a particularly pleasant time in my life, writing these songs was such an important piece of the recovery process for me," said Castro. "And I, without a doubt, couldn’t have gotten through that time without the help of my dear friends, especially the ones that helped make this record. The hope is that it resonates with anyone dealing with some true heartache and maybe they feel a little less alone  for a few minutes… or maybe they just wanna listen to a ripper. I don’t know. There’s something for everyone on here.”

Originally formed in the heart of San Jose’s DIY scene, The Albert Square began as a three-piece led by Castro. After the 2015 debut I (Assume I) Know What I’m Doing, he stepped away to join projects like Kitty Kat Fan Club, Ogikubo Station, Cloudbusters, and Teens in Trouble, developing his craft onstage and in the studio. Now, with Swallow You Whole, Castro reclaims his voice with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose.

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