Tag: Lucy Dacus

Lucy Dacus makes everyone swoon with “Kissing Lessons.”

Photo by Erin Soorenko

Lucy Dacus released Home Video via Matador last year, solidifying her place as one of music’s best storytellers, with a remarkable showing on year-end lists. After a series of flyers appeared in several US cities last week with tear-off tabs for a “Kissing Lessons” hotline, a stream of callers to the number then reported being able to hear a new song by Dacus. No longer requiring a phone, “Kissing Lessons” is now available as a single for all to hear. It is accompanied by a video directed by Mara Palena. Complete with hand-drawn hearts and Polaroids, “Kissing Lessons” is another gem mined from Dacus’ childhood in Richmond, Virginia. It was recorded and mixed during the Home Video sessions, and stood out with its sweet and relatable reflection of childhood infatuation as Dacus sings atop infectious guitars, “We’d take turns being seduced // Imagining the day it would come into use // Imagining the day we’d start breaking hearts // And taking names.”

“Kissing Lessons” and “Thumbs Again” will be released as a 7” on June 3rd. The 7” is available for pre-order now.

Next week, Dacus kicks off a US tour where she will play many cities not yet visited in support of Home Video, and a few rescheduled shows from the fall. Additionally, after selling out three Brooklyn Steels last year, Dacus announces a headline performance at New York City’s SummerStage in Central Park on Thursday, July 21st. Tickets go on sale this Friday, February 4th at 12pm Eastern. 
Watch Lucy Dacus’ Video for “Kissing Lessons”

Pre-order “Kissing Lessons”/“Thumbs Again” 7”

Watch/Listen/Share
Stream/Purchase Home Video
Watch “Hot & Heavy” Video
Watch Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
Watch “VBS” Video
Listen to “Thumbs Again”
Watch “Brando” Video
Watch The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Performance

Home Video Tour
(new dates in bold)
Wed. Feb. 09 – Pitts, PA @ Stage AE *
Thu. Feb. 10 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic *
Fri. Feb. 11 – Newport, KY @ Ovation *
Sat. Feb. 12 – Indy, IN @ Egyptian Room *
Mon. Feb. 14 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Ballroom Valentine’s Day *
Tue. Feb. 15 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall (Rescheduled Date) * – SOLD OUT
Thu. Feb. 17 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave (Rescheduled Date) * – SOLD OUT
Fri. Feb. 18 – Iowa City, IA @ Englert Theatre (Rescheduled Date) * – SOLD OUT
Sat. Feb. 19 – Lawrence, KS @ Liberty *
Sun. Feb. 20 – OK City, OK @ Tower Theatre *
Wed. Feb. 23 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre *
Thu. Feb. 24 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel *
Fri. Feb. 25 – C-Ville, VA @ Jefferson * – SOLD OUT
Sat. Feb. 26 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony * – SOLD OUT
Mon. Feb. 28 – Ithaca, NY @ Hangar Theatre
Tue. Mar. 01 – Holyoke, MA @ Gateway City Arts
Thu. Mar. 03 – Providence, RI @ The Strand
Sat. Mar. 05 – Baltimore, MD @ Ram’s Head
Fri. Mar. 18, 2022 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club ^ – SOLD OUT
Sat. Mar. 19, 2022 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club ^ – SOLD OUT
Sun. Mar. 20, 2022 – Glasgow, UK @ St. Lukes ^ – SOLD OUT
Mon. Mar. 21, 2022 – Dublin, IE @ Olympia Theatre ^
Wed. Mar. 23, 2022 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla – SOLD OUT
Thu. Mar. 24, 2022 – Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory ^
Fri. Mar. 25, 2022 – London, UK @ Kentish Town Forum
Sat. Mar. 26 – London, UK @ Rough Trade – In-Store Performance
Sun. Mar. 27 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2 ^
Tue. Mar. 29, 2022 – Brussels, BL @ Rotonde ^ – SOLD OUT
Wed. Mar. 30, 2022 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Noord ^
Thu. Mar. 31, 2022 – Cologne, DE @ Artheater ^
Sat. Apr. 02, 2022 – Hamburg, DE @ Molotow ^
Sun. Apr. 03, 2022 – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen ^ – SOLD OUT
Mon. April 04, 2022 – Aarhus, DK @ Atlas ^
Wed. Apr. 06, 2022 – Oslo, NO @ Parkteatret ^
Thu. Apr. 07, 2022 – Stockholm, SE @ Nalen Klubb ^
Sat. Apr. 09, 2022 – Berlin, DE @ Lido ^
Sun. Apr. 10, 2022 – Jena, DE @ Trafo ^
Tue. Apr. 12, 2022 – Vienna, AT @ Chelsea ^
Wed. Apr. 13, 2022 – Munich, DE @ Milla ^
Thu. Apr. 14, 2022 – Zürich, SU @ Bogen F ^
Fri. Apr. 15 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie ^
Thu. Jul. 21 – New York, NY @ SummerStage in Central Park #
Sun. Aug. 7 – St. Charles, IA @ Hinterland Festival
Fri. Aug. 26 – London, UK @ All Points East Festival
Sat. Aug. 27 – Sun. Aug. 28 – Darmstadt, DE @ Golden Leaves Festival
Thu. Sep. 1 – Sun. Sep. 4 – Salisbury, UK @ End of the Road Festival

* = with Indigo De Souza
^ = with Fenne Lily
# = with Hop Along

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jessica at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: Lucy Dacus – Home Video

If they gave out awards for Most Brutally Honest Album of the Year, Lucy Dacus‘ Home Video would certainly win it in 2021.

The singer-songwriter’s new record is a deep dive into her upbringing, teen years, and even recent years. It’s a record about self-exploration, finding and losing love and friends, and always moving forward despite the past trying to put on the brakes.

“Hot & Heavy” opens with bold guitars and bolder lyrics by Dacus about fiery passion that fades but is never forgotten. “Christine” tells a story about Dacus and a dear friend riding along one night in the back of her friend’s boyfriend’s car…and Dacus knowing her friend is stuck in a relationship that will do nothing but hold back her friend from her true potential (“If you get married, I’ll just throw my shoe at the altar and lose your respect. I’d rather lose my dignity than lose you to someone who won’t make you happy.”).

“First Time” hides a tale of new love and new sex under its rock drums and guitar strums. “In the summer of ’07, I was sure I’d go to heaven,” Dacus sings in the beginning of “VBS” (Vacation Bible School), a song about teenage sexual and spiritual confusion that erupts into buzz saw guitar at one point. “Cartwheel” starts with the sound of a record or tape starting up from a dead stop and quickly becomes an acoustic ballad for someone who chose another over her.

As if the album wasn’t heartbreaking enough, “Thumbs” is a song about Dacus fantasizing and offering about killing her friend’s long-absent father when he comes to town for a visit and pretends nothing is wrong. “Going Going Gone” is another song about walking away from a relationship she knows with yield no further results.

Dacus’ use of Autotune on “Partner in Crime” is jarring at first, but makes sense when you consider it’s a song about duplicity. “Brando” is a tale of Dacus skipping school with a boy to watch movies, knowing that he’s Mr. Not Quite Right but going along anyway. “Please Stay” is a soft plead for Dacus’ lover not to leave just yet, and how seeing their items around her place is like walking through a museum of heartbreak. The album ends with “Triple Dog Dare,” a song / confession about Dacus exploring her sexuality and being nervous as hell the whole time. It’s a gorgeous coda to the whole record.

I’m tempted to write, “This record is not for the timid.” due to it’s raw honesty, but maybe it is. It’s a record for anyone feeling timid about who they are, who they love, or who they can become.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jessica at Pitch Perfect PR.]