Anyone who has studied The Big Lebowski as a text will tell you that humble exteriors often hide great wells of mystical depth. For their second single, Somerville quintet Fortuna 500 embody Wowee Zowee-era Pavement (which is peak Pavement if you were wondering) and quickly settle into a hard-charging lope. “Romantic Civilians” is a swerve away from “Sara Lee,” the band’s chicken fried steak of a debut single, but Fortuna 500 imbue both tracks with the grace and natural ease of a tumbleweed. The elastic chug of guitars is relaxed enough to allow for the occasional ebb before kicking back into high gear.

Songwriter Cole Triedman’s lyrics describe a perspective on how to face the uphill battle of a life in music (and life in general). The chorus alludes to getting out of familiar surrounds, Union Square in Triedman’s case, to where you’re nothing but a “sparkling and quotidian” stranger. Later, he’s cooking up a scheme with a Dionysian spirit, ready to take on any town and their attendant white collar criminals and CEOs. A little Bacchanal goes a long way.

Owing to Fortuna’s growing reputation as a formidable bar band, the track was recorded live and loose at Little Nice Studio in Lincoln, Rhode Island. There’s a lot of delicate picking and joyful noise going on courtesy of Ryan DiLello and Harley Spring. The Fortuna 500 band is just picking up steam and this pair of releases is a strong start for one of Boston’s most promising and refreshingly wry new bands. 

Stream “Romantic Civilians” at your convenience.