Mamalarky do not let up. The Austin indie rockers dropped Hex Key in April 2025, and they'll have the follow-up out in under two years. Hover is due this coming February on Epitaph, preceded today by the lightly psychedelic pop-rock gem "Sad Songs." The hook from Livvy Bennett is highly relatable for anyone who's been through a breakup or some other tribulation: "Sad songs sound sadder now/ Waking up just drags me down." It's maybe not aligned with the feeling in America today after voters resoundingly rebuked Donald Trump and his dipshit enablers, but in a vacuum, it's a fantastic track. And, true to the album title, it really does seem to hover.
Bennett's statement makes me wonder if, actually, this is the perfect song for a day like today:
To me, it sounds like the first sunny day after a week-long depressive episode, the day when you remember to drink water again and find symbolism in everything but are definitely not okay yet. I hope it offers company to anyone going through loneliness, loss, and general confusion of the heart. Sometimes you’re left only with a sad song or two to make sense of some bullshit, the sole survivors of a world of hurt.
Watch the Otium-directed "Sad Songs" video below.
TRACKLIST:01 "Relic"
02 "Sad Songs"
03 "Sycamore Tree"
04 "Eye Contact"
05 "Uh Oh"
06 "Never Love You Right:
07 "That Girl"
08 "Mirage"
09 "Word For Word"
10 "Sweet Tooth"
11 "The One"
12 "How Could You Go"
Hover is out 2/12 on Epitaph. Pre-order it here.
