Singles Spotlight:
Slow Pulp –
“Spill”

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I’m excited to talk about another group that has caught a lot of people’s attention in the past few years for Slow Pulp.  The bio for the Midwestern indie rock band via the great site of the fantastic ANTI- Records label explains their formation and influences well, stating, “Singer and guitarist Emily Massey met childhood friends Henry Stoehr (guitar), Alex Leeds (bass), and Teddy Mathews (drums) in Madison, WI in the mid 2010s, kicking off a decade-strong musical bond. Raised on ’90s alt-rock radio and coming of age during the 2000s indie wave, they took a pan-American approach to rock music—transcending the genre’s inner boundaries in service of a sound critics across the board have applauded but struggled to describe—that made them stand out in the small city’s scrappy scene. But in 2018, the lifelong Wisconsinites left their comfy surroundings for the Midwest’s metropolis, transplanting from Madison’s rich soil to Chicago’s concrete grid.”

The band, as it’s constructed now with Massey in the fold, self-released Big Day EP (2019) and their debut studio full-length, Moveys (2020), to favorable reviews, and gained more acclaim with their second studio album Yard (2023), and are set to release their newest album, Melodie, on Friday, September 18th via the ANTI- label. Check all those out if you haven’t. I recommend starting with Yard.

Let’s explore that album a bit more via the album’s press release: “When Slow Pulp started the songs that comprise Melodie, they found themselves being reflective of their relationships and lives in the last few years. In most of their time living in Chicago, lyrics have mostly been helmed by Massey. For Melodie, Massey and Stoehr split writing duties, with five of Stoehr’s tracks ending up on the record. The two also teamed up on the album’s production, which was led by producer Elliot Kozel (Rosalía, Yves Tumor, Björk, SZA, Eartheater). Kozel is something of a Wisconsin legend, and Stoehr, Mathews, and Leeds had all grown up as fans of his old band, Sleeping in the Aviary. The collaboration of Kozel, Stoehr, and Massey led to a record that balances power-pop euphoria, acoustic heartbreak, and the ocean of sound between them.”

The release continues, “The product of this collaboration is the reflective Melodie; a full circle, transformative album. ‘There’s a very cyclical energy to a lot of these songs,’ Massey says. ‘There’s the sense of a full circle, tapping back into things and transforming through them,’ Leeds furthers. A song is like that too, he believes: ‘not just a document of what you feel but also a vehicle for understanding how you feel.’”

And today’s Singles Spotlight is on Slow Pulp’s song, “Spill”, which is the last single released off of Melodie. The press release notes, “‘Spill,’ which follows the magnetic piano ballad ‘Not for Nothing’ and ‘Better Man,’ was actually the first song written while the band was working on their acclaimed 2023 album Yard, but it never fully clicked until producer Elliot Kozel came into the picture.” And as Massey elaborates, “The song itself is about feeling stuck in a pattern of casual relationships that felt they had some barrier to expressing real love. It’s that delicate dance where you wait for someone else to take the leap. Too afraid to say it too soon but also too afraid to say it too late, waiting to see how it will all play out.” Relatable for some, right?

The melody is perfect; it builds and burns in a way that makes me feel like I’m listening to an amazing shoegaze tune. Maybe one from the early to mid-90s. It’s got the old-school vibes in the best ways and still is its own thing. Great musicianship on guitar and drums. Massey delivers her vocals with a lot of passion, but softly and bittersweetly; she’s always in control of her voice. This all comes together beautifully, not only showcasing the band’s and Kozel’s talent in crafting a song, but also creating one that listeners will get stuck in their heads and play on repeat. All that said, that is a handful of reasons I think the song “Spill” is a lovely introduction to Slow Pulp and well deserving of its own entry in SWT’s Singles Spotlight series.

Take a listen for yourself by watching the video below and tell us what you think!

The very colorful, ever-changing moving imagery resulting in a possible sensory-overload video for the song “Spill” from a collab between both ANTI- and Slow Pulp’s YouTube channels:

(All credits and rights to Slow Pulp and ANTI- Records)

Take a look at the cover art for Melodie:

The track list for Melodie:

1. Yellow and Green
2. These Days
3. Better Man
4. Melodie
5. Red Car
6. Not For Nothing
7. Entertainer
8. Like Me
9. Spill
10. Up to You
11. Slip Away

You can connect with and listen to more of Slow Pulp at the following links:

• Website: slowpulp.com
• YouTube: youtube.com/@slowpulp
• Spotify: Slow Pulp on Spotify
• Bandcamp: slowpulp.bandcamp.com/album/melodie-2
• Apple Music: Slow Pulp on Apple Music
• Facebook: facebook.com/slowpulpband
• Instagram: instagram.com/slowpulpband

Get your tickets now. Check out Slow Pulp on tour in the US and Europe: 

Alex M Theel

Co-Founder, Reviewer, Content Creator, Business side, Editor at Scummy Water Tower Productions | Web

Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com