Right now, the indie rock world is in the process of discovering Emily Moales, the prolific Philly-based New Hampshire native who records extremely cool DIY music under the name Star Moles. The Star Moles discography is deep, with dozens of releases going back nearly a decade, but the recent album Highway To Hell, one of our favorites of the year, is where most of us got on board. Jeff Tweedy covered her. This Is Lorelei loves her. A lot more people will probably get to hear what Moales is doing soon, since she is now labelmates with Phoebe Bridgers and Mitski.
Star Moles' music is a fascination fusion of present-day DIY aesthetics with classic '70s-style songwriting chops. Moales makes it with the other members of the Historic New Jersey collective, and she has helped out on excellent recent records from collaborators like Rubber Band Gun and Sam and Louise Sullivan. Today, the people at the big indie Dead Oceans announce that they've signed Star Moles, but it looks like she'll keep that Historic New Jersey aesthetic on her new music.
Along with the announcement, Star Moles shares her new single "Born Again," a glimmering, eccentric chug that she once again recorded with Rubber Band Gun's Kevin Basko at his Historic New Jersey studio. Great song! In a press release, Moales says, "The thing about writing something that’s true is that it basically can’t be narrative. If you’re angry or sad or in love, the feeling itself is an exaggeration. Trying to tell the truth in a song by saying ‘here’s what happened’ isn’t satisfying to me. ‘Born Again’ is a painting of real frustration, and the best way I can express that feeling is with a strong voice and words that mythologize. I wouldn’t say I’m religious, but I think sometimes my emotions are."
Lucky Marvel directed the video for "Born Again," and it's got Moales wearing the yellowest dress you ever saw in your life. Check it out below, along with Star Moles' upcoming tour dates.
TOUR DATES:
10/09 - Durham, NC @ Good Moon Festival
10/10 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry at The Fillmore *
10/12 - Washington, DC @ The Atlantis *
11/04 - London, UK @ Next Door Records Two
11/05 - London, UK @ Pitchfork Festival London
11/07 - Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Festival Paris
11/12 - Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw #
01/22 - Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s ^
01/26 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
01/27 - Boston, MA @ Warehouse XI
01/28 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
01/29 - Washington, DC @ Songbyrd
03/05 - Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle %
03/06 - Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups %
03/07 - Pittsburgh, PA @ The Funhouse at Mr Smalls %
03/09 - Toronto, ON @ TD Music Hall %
03/10 - Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB %
03/12 - Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom %
03/13 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s %
03/14 - Washington, DC @ Union Stage %
03/17 - New York, NY @ Racket %
04/01-04 - Knoxville, TN @ Big Ears Festival
* with Westside Cowboy
# with This Is Lorelei
^ with Sam and Louise Sullivan
% with Way Dynamic
Read our recent feature on Star Moles here.
