The past year-and-a-half in particular has seen its fair share of extreme emotions—most commonly, personally speaking, I’ve noticed the devastation of a global pandemic has ushered in a new period in my life where I can celebrate the solitude it’s granted me, which, in turn, ultimately leads to a new sense of loneliness once I’ve embraced this independent spirit a little too much. This seems to be the concept The Shivas ran with on their first new music since the pandemic, the aptly titled Feels So Good // Feels So Bad, with the latest single specifically honing in on the cyclical nature of these extreme feelings.
“‘Undone’ was written by myself as a kind of homage to the times in our life when we rebound from periods of darkness to states of exuberance that easily go too far into the realm of darkness all over again,” shares drummer Kristin Leonard, who also sings on the track. “When we bounce back from times of depression and anxiety and then find ourselves enjoying life a whole lot… Life’s about finding balance. But in order to find that balance, some healthy reflection and acceptance about where we’ve been is necessary to push us forward with love and wisdom on our journey. So Undone is me reflecting on those aspects of myself. And I think most of us can relate.”
On a lighter note, the video that arrives with the tunneling psych-pop single reflects another quick succession of emotional extremes: the long-anticipated return to dive bars and the subsequent expulsion from these bars after dancing behind the bar while the bartender is away. “The video was shot by the wonderful and extremely talented Claude Cardenas, a.k.a. Yr First Crush,” Leonard continues. “I’m obsessed with everything Claude makes. He’s able to capture such a stylized beauty that is uniquely his own and carries through in everything he creates.”
Watch the video below, and pre-order the new record here.
