This morning, Alvvays announced their long-awaited third album, which is titled Blue Rev and which is set to arrive October 7 via Polyvinyl. It's been five years since the Toronto quintet released their sophomore album Antisocialites. Alongside the pandemic, the band hit a number of additional obstacles, including an apartment break-in where demos were stolen and gear was damaged. The group landed in Los Angeles in October 2021 and recorded what ended up being Blue Rev in full takes. They teamed up with producer Shawn Everett, who recently worked with Kacey Musgraves and The War on Drugs, to fill in the missing pieces.
The lead single "Pharmacist" is a flurry of crunchy guitars and swirling synths. Molly Rankin's vocals breeze alongside the impending distortive chaos. "I know you're back / I saw your sister at the pharmacist," she sings on the opening verse. It's that strange sensation of knowing the proximity of another after a run-in with their friends or family. It's the kind of coincidence that puts someone at the forefront of your mind, wondering why they haven't reached out—clearly you're not on theirs. That melancholic longing is something Alvvways does so well. It's good to have them back.
Listen to "Pharmacist" below and pre-order Blue Rev here.
