Ataris – Car Song (Red)

The Ataris Car Song (Red) vinyl is a 7-inch release on Double Helix Records (catalog DHR 25) that carries more personal weight than most records you’ll come across this year. Pressed on rust red splatter vinyl, this is a 2025 re-recorded version of “Car Song,” and it comes with a dedication that puts the whole project in context before the needle even drops.

The Ataris: Indiana Punk With Something to Prove

The Ataris have been at it since Kris Roe formed the band in Indiana in 1996. Five albums deep, they built a devoted following through the late 90s and early 2000s on the strength of sharp pop-punk hooks and a knack for channeling real feeling without tipping into melodrama. Their 2003 record So Long, Astoria is what most people point to, largely on the back of their cover of Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer,” a version that found urgency where the original found nostalgia. Roe has kept the band moving through lineup changes and long gaps, and this 7-inch shows he still has reasons to make records that matter to him personally.

About This Ataris Car Song (Red) Vinyl Pressing

This is not a catalog reissue pulled from the vault. The 2025 re-recorded version of “Car Song” was made with a specific purpose: it is dedicated to the memory of William Charles Roe, father of Kristopher Roe and, by his own account, the self-proclaimed biggest fan of The Ataris who ever lived. That context shapes how you hear this record. It is a tribute built into the grooves, released as a physical object you can hold. Double Helix pressed it on rust red splatter vinyl, a color choice that feels deliberate given the emotional territory. The catalog number is DHR 25.

Why This Copy Belongs in Your Collection

Colored vinyl 7-inches tied to a specific, documented story are the kind of releases that disappear quietly and resurface years later with meaning attached. The rust red splatter pressing is visually striking on its own, the kind of record you pull out to show people before you even put it on. But the reason to own this one goes beyond aesthetics. It is a re-recorded track from a band with a long history, released in 2025 with clear emotional intention, on a small label, in a format that rewards the collector who pays attention to the details around the music and not just the music itself. If you followed The Ataris during their peak years, or if you simply appreciate a record made for a real reason, this 7-inch is worth your attention.