The Lipstick Junkies are gearing up to release their new album "The Lioness Volume" and to celebrate we asked Greg Babinski to tell us about the single "New Friends". Here is the story:
We were already underway in the early stages of pre-production for The Lioness Volume, deciding on what songs would be on it, how they would fit together and what story they were trying to tell was. In my head, the feel to that point was positive, fun, care-free and soaked in a sort of straightforwardness. Summer was just starting, and the positivity in our music was a reflection of our mental state whilst writing and recording it. Music was, as it so often is, our sanctuary amidst the chaos and uncertainty of our own personal lives. I knew that those more melancholic truths had to be represented in our work for it to be complete, after all, summer would end before we were to be done.
As I looked within myself and the people closest to me, I saw a lot of negativity. Of course, everyone's personal situations was a little different; dealing with break ups, illnesses, new jobs and new cities, all different things that bring a new perspective to life. Situations like that provoke change, not so much good or bad as much as drastic, and there's a certain amount of ambivalence that accompanies situations like that.
The common thread was there, and as I started to see where we all connected I wrote this long, flowing chord progression that would become the chorus of New Friends. The rest of the music was put together in a way that represents that ambivalence, not too slow or dark, despite it coming from a place that might warrant such. The same approach was taken with the lyrics, as the idea of "new friends" really epitomized everything I wanted to capture. It's really a good thing, to have new friends, but the thought really incites bitterness, guilt because you probably shouldn't feel bitter, apathetic facades to deflect, justifiable rationalizations of it being for the best, and at the very least a sort of finality to appreciate. There's a lot to unpack, and it's something that happens all the time, so it made sense as the final piece in the story of The Lioness Volume because it really represented a truth for our summer's care-free and positive horizon, a truth that all summers must end, and that no matter how much better or worse things might be afterwards, they'll never be the same.
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!
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