WATCH: Alex Lahey - 'They Wouldn't Let Me In'

I spent much of last year watching and rewatching Heartstopper, gushing over the show and the soundtrack. (How could you not?!) A song somewhat inspired by watching the show found its way into my inbox last week and is now finding its way into a post... I like it a lot. (I also like that the video, directed by Claire Giuffe, is like watching an episode of Stath Lets Flats or something - as Alex assumes the role of a furniture salesperson. Brilliant.) They Wouldn't Let Me In is taken from upcoming album The Answer is Always Yes, due 19th May. 

Talking about the new track, Alex shares: "After watching the brilliant tv series Heartstopper, I spent a lot of time thinking about my own experiences growing up as a queer teenager. Although I was extremely lucky that the majority of my experience was filled with joy, acceptance and love, it wasn't always smooth sailing. This song is inspired by those tougher moments - not being allowed to attend my high school girlfriend's school formal, being excluded from conventional romantic rites of passage, moments of isolation and feeling like I couldn't relate to anyone around me. 'They Wouldn't Let Me In' is by far the most direct song I've ever written about this time."

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WATCH: Prima Queen - 'Eclipse'

Best news - there's a new Prima Queen track to wrap your ears around. I loved Chew My Cheeks last year (how is that last year?!) and I wasn't the only one... the best pal duo have been making a name for themselves among the likes of DIY, Dork, NME and The Line of Best Fit and have toured with Dream Wife and Wet Leg, among others. With a UK tour incoming later in the year, they're back with new track Eclipse, which is as brill as ever. This one was once again produced by The Big Moon - dreamy pairing. 

On the track, they share: "It's about the hesitation of entering into a new relationship while you're still reeling from a heartbreak that fucked you up. It was quite a cathartic group experience recording the song - we got to sing the last chorus all together at the top of our lungs. We released a lot of pent up rage we didn't know we had." 

A run of festivals and support shows culminates in some headline shows this November, taking in Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester and London. All dates here.

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ALBUM NEWS: Plains - 'I Walked With You A Ways'

Some brill album news for your Thursday from Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) and Jess Williamson. Both successful artists in their own right, they've joined forces as Plains and have announced their record I Walked With You A Ways, due 14th October. As a one off collaboration, supported by a North American tour, there's something special in the momentary existence of the project. Something to be truly enjoyed while it happens. First single Problem With It is out now! No problems here, in fact, I'm loving this...

Katie shares: "I'm thrilled to announce this new project and album. I've felt a connection to Jess's songwriting and a kinship with her since we met years ago. Getting to lean into the influence of the music we both grew up with while also making something that feels very current and fresh to me was a great experience and I'm so happy to finally share it." 

Jess adds: "Making this record with Katie was a deeply expansive experience for me as a songwriter. I really trust her ear and sensibilities, and she encourage me to explore aspects of my songwriting that in the past I've shied away from. Katie's support was so important for me as we wrote this album. We gave ourselves permission to lean into the music that raised us and write the kind of classic timeless songs that we both grew up singing along to. For me that was The Chicks and Dolly Parton, and having a place to channel those influences was an absolute blast. My hope with Plains was to tap into something Universal. I love the album we made, and I'm so excited to play it live."

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WATCH: Bloomsday - 'Voicemail'

I have been very bad at remembering to post here, or finding time to... so I'm kicking the week off with a Monday post in the hope that it might inspire some more to follow. Easing the way into the week with another beauty of a track from Bloomsday. I'm really enjoying this duo, made up of Iris James Garrison (they/them) and Alex Harwood (he/him) - Voicemail is from their debut album Place To Land, due this Friday (10th), which I can't wait for. Any track with gardening metaphors in it gets a thumbs up from me!

On the track, Iris shares: "I wrote this song in the lockdown of 2002 as well, earlier on. It was originally called 'Propagation song' since the first lyrics I wrote for it were "I grew a propagation from the roots we planted." I felt that I was growing into someone new at the time, and that the person I had met was helping me trust in my new growth, that they had helped plant new roots in my self emotionally.

"If your leaves start growing away from me, I'll know it's meant to be" is expressing that brevity can be beautiful. Some people come into your life, you learn something essential from one another, and then you grow apart. I wrote this song as a voicemail that was never sent. Things I wish I could express to this person that I couldn't because I was unfortunately ghosted (sigh)." 

Pre-order Place To Land here.

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WATCH: Bloomsday - 'Phase'

I say this all the time but I think that I might be a little bit in love with this one. It's exactly the kind of song that I feel like I need right now... properly dreamy. The track is Phase, the latest from Brooklyn duo Bloomsday (AKA singer-songwriter/producers Iris James Garrison (they/them) and Alex Harwood (he/him). They've released the track recently alongside news of their debut album Place To Land, which is due on 10th June via Bayonet Records. 

On the track, Iris shares "I wrote this song amidst a very stagnant period, emotionally. I had recently undergone an upheaval of life: I had changed my job, housing, had a new friend group, and new romantic relationships. All of my surroundings had changed drastically in the fall of 2019. I remember I had a moment of stillness after the dust settled, and I was shaky inside. I remember feeling like it was a calm before a storm, which is interesting to look back on now since it was right before the pandemic hit in 2020."

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WATCH: CMAT - 'Lonely'

I think I'm a little bit in love with CMAT. Perhaps it has something to do with her being my namesake. It has a lot to do, however, with the brilliant string of singles she's put out over the past year or so. With debut album If My Wife New I'd Be Dead due on 4th March, we were treated to a new track from the record yesterday. The track is Lonely and while it tackles themes of isolation and mental health struggles, there's that genius comedy element in the track that you'd expect. I think that the songwriting is perhaps the biggest factor in my love of CMAT (offering up "who needs god when I have Robbie Williams?" and "I honestly forgot that you even existed" as evidence.) 

Love the video too. Shot and produced by Tiny Ark, it unveils another string in CMAT's bow - roller-skating. 

On the track, Ciara shares: "I started writing the song ‘Lonely’ in the Arndale food hall in Manchester when I was on my break from work. Anyone who has been there will know that it is as aesthetically unpleasant as it is bustling, at all hours of the day. There was something that always drew me to it though - people. I was very isolated during this period of my life and longed for a day when I could be sitting at a table of friends that I did not have. Instead, I found myself regularly sitting alone and watching strange families and friend groups, peering out from underneath a Taco Bell crunch wrap, for a false sense of comfort.

"It took me years to finish this song because I couldn’t figure out the point of it. Then the pandemic happened, and suddenly I realised that everybody was in the boat that I had been long accustomed to (my sea legs are beefy in this regard). I realised that the point of isolation is maybe to learn to cherish people more, and to not be so scared of them, or scared of how you are perceived by them.

"Ultimately though, I wrote this song to try and get Robbie Williams to notice me."

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WATCH: Prima Queen - 'Chew My Cheeks'

Time for one of my favourite discoveries of last week... fell a little bit in love with this one the second I set eyes on the video. Completely enchanting. The track is by Prima Queen - an indie/alternative rock band fronted by songwriting duo and best pals Louise Macphail (Bristol, UK) and Kristin McFadden (Chicago). Chew My Cheeks is their first release on Nice Swan Recordings and was produced by none other than The Big Moon (legends!)

On the track, Prima Queen share: "Chew My Cheeks is a song that centres on an unhealthy obsession with someone who is slightly out of reach. We wrote it in lockdown last year when we were remembering what it was like to idealise people you don't know and to use them as a form of escapism. We ended up watching The Matrix in isolation together around the same time and were really inspired by the world in which the movie creates." 

"It was incredible being able to work with The Big Moon since they've been such a big inspiration to us and we look up to them so much. They really understood our vision for the song and we were so impressed with how they were able to bring it to life."

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ALBUM NEWS: Lunar Vacation - 'Inside Every Fig Is A Dead Wasp'

"Are you in love...?" ask Lunar Vacation before the synths kick in on their new track. 

You know what.... yes. I am. I'm fully in love with this track. A new discovery for me, they're an Atlanta-based four-piece made up of songwriters, vocalists and guitarists Grace Repasky and Maggie Geeslin who met in the eighth grade and began sharing music, quickly forming the band. Many a demo and lots of gigs later, they added Matteo DeLurgio (synth) and Connor Dowd (drums) to complete the line-up, self-releasing a couple of EPs along the way. 

They've just shared the superb (seriously... note the 'drop' - can I call it a drop? - at 40 seconds...) track Mold, alongside a video directed by Rach Rios Rehm, and announced details of their debut album. Inside Every Fig Is A Dead Wasp is due on 29th October via Keeled Scales. 

Grace Repasky says that the track is about "navigating the oddities and strange tides of West Coast culture, specifically L.A., and influencer lifestyle for the first time. We played a festival out there and it felt like I was in an immersive Instagram advertisement. It kind of freaked me out. To make it all more confusing, the song also deals with having feelings for someone wrapped up in that culture and the conflicting feelings of wanting to fit in."   

On the video, Maggie Geeslin adds "we looked no further than Rachael to direct this one. We've been friends for years and working with her on this project was a no-brainer. We told her he wanted something funky and she worked her magic, cooking up a world of absurdity. We had such a good time, in fact, that Grace tattooed the address of the studio where we filmed on their leg at the wrap party." 

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