The visceral intersection of sound, feel and sight forms the foundation of Yard, Slow Pulp’s second full-length record and first for ANTI-. The Chicago-based four-piece, most of whom carry a shared childhood history, lean into a chemistry that’s remained strong even in times of isolation to create lush, occasionally nostalgic soundscapes exploring universal themes like love and trust.
Visual cues guide song direction within the group, this could be a mix of colors or an existing body of work. The album opens with one of these, “Gone 2,” the 2 a last-minute addition as the original version was scrapped just before recording after they saw the video for “Scar Tissue” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers playing (on mute) and knew immediately that the visuals were exactly how they wanted the song to sound. “It was a silver song and we turned it into a brown and purple song,” Guitarist Henry Stoehr explains. Singer and guitarist Emily Massey adds, “‘Gone’ is about searching for love in other people or searching for things and feeling like you're not doing a good enough job at it or feeling like you're coming too late to it.”
First single “Doubt,” follows, a track that Massey describes as sounding like “wakeboarding,” dark lyrics around seeking reassurance for vulnerabilities are held up buoyantly by upbeat and warm 90’s nostalgia. Eventually, the search ends. “I like that by the end of the album, you're finding the love within yourself, not searching for it within other people. It has that full circle moment, in that way,” Massey says.
Slow Pulp will wrap up 2023 with an extensive tour of the UK and western Europe and “Doubt” is in play for listeners of The SoCal Sound, The Current, Radio Milwaukee, WFUV, KRSH and many more.
Photo by Alexa Viscius