On the self-reflective rocker “Sober,” Bartees Strange learns something about himself: “Guess I’ve never had a guiding light/That’s why it’s hard to be sober.” His guitar whines with tension behind his voice. And by the bridge he acknowledges, “Sometimes I miss the boat, sometimes I make mistakes.” The song, which Jack Antonoff co-produced, ebbs and flows, and in the video you can see how he’s working through emotions from behind his dark shades. The song, which follows “Lie 95,” features on the artist’s upcoming third album, Horror, due out on Valentine’s Day.
“This song is about falling short in a relationship, over and over and drinking because of it,” the artist said in a statement. “I think this is something a lot of people can probably relate to. Being in love, but not being the best at showing it or feeling successful within it. And being afraid that this is something you’ll always deal with because you never really saw a better example of how love works.”
On the record, he reflects on hand-me-down fears from his family, meant to be morals, and the strength he’s drawn from seeing people survive in his favorite horror movies. “In a way, I think I made this record to reach out to people who may feel afraid of things in their lives, too,” Strange said. “For me it’s love, locations, cosmic bad luck, or that feeling of doom that I’ve struggled with for as long as I can remember. I think that it’s easier to navigate the horrors and strangeness of life once you realize that everyone around you feels the same. … I’m trying to feel close — so I’m less afraid.” In addition to Antonoff, Strange co-produced the album with Yves and Lawrence Rothman.
The artist has three tour dates in the U.S. around the album’s release and one in London.
Horror Track List
1. “Too Much”
2. “Hit It Quit It”
3. “Sober”
4. “Baltimore”
5. “Lie 95”
6. “Wants, Needs”
7. “Lovers”
8. “Doomsday Buttercup”
9. “17”
10. “Loop Defenders”
11. “Norf Gun”
12. “Backseat Banton”
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Tour Dates
Feb. 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Paramount
Feb. 15 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
Feb. 19 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Feb. 26 – London, U.K. @ Oslo Hackney
