Aan’s Bud Wilson had a hell of a 2015. Two close friends passed away, his relationship of six years came to an end, and he saw most of his support group forced by the steadily rising rent to move away from his hometown of Portland. Left alone with his suffering and confusion, he did what most people do: he worked.
WIlson’s turned in a handful of EPs and an LP—2014’s Amor Ad Nauseum—with Aan, and in November the band will release Dada Distractions, their second full-length, which was produced by former Unknown Mortal Orchestra drummer Riley Geare. Today, we’re premiering the single “Hollywood Buyout,” which finds Aan staying true to their Pacific Northwest M.O. Wilson’s voice sounds rougher and more blown out than it did on Amor Ad Nauseum (which seems reasonable, all things considered), and the band alternate between ugly heaviness and shimmering warmth. Still, the melody searches for something better and traces up and down the song’s boundaries looking for a seam. Whether or not it finds one is up for interpretation—the guitars lurch into what forecasts as a hyperspeed Kim Thayil solo only to catalyze into a series of violent shudders, but in the final minute of the song, Wilson is suddenly joined by another singer who harmonizes on the coda—“You can lean on me any day”—and just like that, Aan shift into a bright, flashy finale worthy of ELO.
You can check out “Hollywood Buyout” below, and check out Dada Distractions’ art and track list.
Dada Distractions track list
1. Lookout!
2. Hollywood Buyout
3. Heartbreaker
4. All You Have To Say
5. Forever Underfoot
6. Visitations (Dookie)
7. Tangerines
8. Into The Fire
9. Bleached Out For Nothing
Dada Distractions is out November 18 via Party Damage.
