It’s been three years since we’ve gotten a new album from Brad stank—a period which, as with many of us, was full of ups and downs for him. “COVID was weird and stressful for everybody, but it's nice to be out the other side,” he shares. “I made a silly country-style EP, lost my dad, fell in love, am moving cities for the first time in 10 years—lots of laughter, some tears, life rolls on regardless.”
Yet two years removed from that 2022 EP the songwriter will return with a new LP titled In the Midst of You early next year which, in spite of its less-silly name, still promises some laughs. Case in point, the first single from the record is a sensual love song dedicated to all-natural wines. “I’ve always enjoyed towing the line between humorous, sensual, spiritual, etc.—it’s what makes writing fun for me,” he shares of the track debuting today, which matches Mac DeMarco’s balancing of relaxed balladry and an inability to take himself too seriously. “I definitely want to portray some sort of message with my music, but never try to take myself too seriously. It’s easy to overthink and get bogged down; being playful with music is a must!”
Similarly straddling that line is the track’s video directed by brothers Corey and Kieran Rid, which was filmed at the Seven Sisters chalk sea cliffs in Essex. While it’s not Martin McDonagh’s native Ireland, it’s hard not to think of the landscapes of The Banshees of Inisherin when watching the clip between its overcast skies and panoramic greenery, the donkey companion, and its central subject matter concerning a deep love that isn’t necessarily romantic. “We shot at Birling Gap,” he specifies of the locale. “I’d never been there before, but Corey sent over photos and it looked perfect. He took the reins for the whole shoot, really, but we always trust him and Kieran—the Riddiough brothers—to come up with the goods. The cliffs feel pretty serious and ancient, providing a nice contrast to my goofy song.”
Check out the video below, and pre-order the album here.
