Released in August 2024, Mucho Mistrust is the second studio album from Oakland trio Fake Fruit and their most collaborative, immediate work to date. Frontwoman Ham D’Amato channels a turbulent period of personal upheaval—from health diagnoses to relationship shifts—into 12 propulsively unpredictable tracks. The title, a sly nod to a Blondie lyric, serves as a mission statement for an album that navigates the anxieties of modern life, the "bloodless" music industry, and the clear-eyed skepticism required to survive it all. Recorded live at Atomic Garden with producer Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Home Is Where), the record captures the band's "palpable ferocity" and acerbic humor. From the jagged, post-punk energy of the title track to the soaring, cathartic evolution of "Cause of Death," Fake Fruit balances clenched-fist rebellion with a self-deprecating wit. As D'Amato notes, the band is fueled by a desire to "break up with capitalism" while maintaining the heart and humor that makes their sound so inviting.
