A breakup album from an artist with a mind as singular as that of Worn-Tin’s is an interesting concept, though his new album feels different from the get-go. The newly announced Lurlene is as much an album about ending a relationship with a van (the titular Lurlene, as his merch leads us to believe) as it is a romantic partner, and while “Hard Erase”—the single he released at the beginning of the year—takes a melancholic turn from Worn-Tin’s usual hypnagogic realm into downcast jangling folk reminiscent of a songwriter like Cut Worms, his latest track reflects on the bright side of a separation. And it’s probably not what you think.
“You know it’s funny,” the songwriter muses. “I used to always question how anybody could want to do anything alone or without their partner when there’s truly nothing better than spending time with someone you love. But I soon realized there are times you will want to go to Ross Dress for Less and try on tiny hats and are not gonna wanna bring them. They’re just gonna complain and tell you that you’ll need a bigger hat. But you don’t want a bigger hat. It’s good to have boundaries, to have space. You want to go to the disco and they want to count cards in the dark.”
While most of what he says is generally relatable, the final thought corresponds to a lyric from the new track, “Replace Me,” which takes the form of a cool, layered synth ballad recalling the DIY opuses of Jimmy Whispers. The video for the track, meanwhile, lands somewhere between Pee-wee’s Playhouse and Five Nights at Freddy’s, only further complicating the set of emotions the track elicits.
Check it out below.
