Meg Remy is releasing her latest U.S. Girls album, In A Poem Unlimited, next month, and the singles we’ve heard from it so far, “Velvet 4 Sale” and “Mad As Hell,” have been sharp-tongued and precise, and the next is no exception. “Pearly Gates,” which features a hook sung by James Baley and music written by Louis Percival, is slick and lecherously catchy. “Some years back a story was recounted to me about a man attempting to convince a woman to engage in unprotected sex by saying ‘Don’t worry, I’m really good at pulling out,” Remy explains the inspiration behind the song. “I thought this was a hilariously stupid thing to say and knew that one day I would build a song around this line.”

With that context in mind, the bitterly clever wordplay of “Pearly Gates” scans as biblically haunting. “St. Peter asked for one chance to be an angel in his eyes/ It seemed to be the safe bet so I closed my eyes and opened my gates wide and St. Peter came inside,” Remy sings. She turns that violation of trust into a parable on the weight of expectation and the carelessness of men. “Peter just does whatever Peter likes,” she sings. Baley’s smoothly-sung hook comes across as the devil on the shoulder, whispering into your ear: “Never, never be safe even if you’re in the Gates/ Give it up/ You’re just some man’s daughter.” The accompanying video, which was directed by Chrissy Jones, deepens the religious allegories that permeate the song. Watch and listen below.

Tour dates:
03/06 Los Angeles, CA @ Moroccan Lounge
03/08 San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
03/11 Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Bar
03/12-18 Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/21 Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
03/22 Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
03/23 Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Fest
03/24 Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern
03/25 Vancouver, Canada @ Biltmore Cabaret
03/27 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
03/28 Arcata, CA @ The Miniplex
03/29 San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Shop
04/12 Allston, MA @ Great Scott
04/13 Brooklyn, NY @ Babys All Right
04/14 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
04/15 Washington, DC @ Union Stage
04/16 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
04/17 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
04/18 Detroit, MI @ Marble Bar

In A Poem Unlimited is out 2/16 via 4AD.