Photo by Alex Da Corte
To borrow a line from the Dandy Warhols, we wish we were as cool as Kim Deal. 4AD’s Queen of alternative rock has finally pulled back the curtain on her debut solo album, Nobody Loves You More, set to drop on November 22nd. Alongside the announcement comes Crystal Breath, a stomping, psychedelic single whose groove could easily be mistaken for a lost track from Beck’s Odelay era.
The song is a celebration of shaking off the shadows of personal demons. It’s a gritty journey of inner transformation, driven by a relentless beat. Despite wrestling with an inner “beast,” one finds strange comfort in the rhythm that leads them toward a new beginning. Imagery of shattered illusions and self-reinvention runs through the lyrics, capturing the tug-of-war between doubt and empowerment. Here, the beat isn’t just background noise; it’s the lifeline that pulls them through the darkness.
Right on, sister.
Crystal Breath started with an odd twist—it was first penned as a theme for a TV show about an aerobics instructor, but got kicked to the curb. Now, it’s found a new life, blending an uptempo drumbeat, quirky harmonica breakdowns, and distorted guitars with Kim Deal’s bubbly vocals. The result? A tune that’s as good for personal redemption as it is for powering through a tough day.
There’s a rhythm that keeps you on your toes, a sound that’s strangely uplifting, and Kim’s voice, always with a hint of irony, cutting through the noise. Turn the mundane into something more; she’s urging you to push through whatever’s in your way. Whether you’re chasing a new beginning or just trying to survive the daily grind, Crystal Breath gives you the power to keep on truckin’.
The video, directed by Alex Da Corte, is a cheeky, lo-fi affair with deliberately rough cuts and a glitchy Deal swaying back and forth in a loop. It’s like catching a flickering hologram in a TRON-like universe with a bad connection—strange, surreal, and somehow perfect. But there’s no mistaking it—Deal still has that spark, that edge, even in the digital chaos. She moves with the same magnetic pull, drawing you in, glitch or no glitch, reminding you why she’s still one of the coolest cats around.
Watch the video for “Crystal Breath” below:
The tracks on Nobody Loves You More stretch back to 2011, when Deal laid down Are You Mine? and Wish I Was, fresh off Pixies’ Lost Cities Tour. The latest sessions came in November 2022 with the late Steve Albini at his Electrical Audio studio in Chicago.
Nobody Loves You More is a patchwork of past and present, stitched together by Deal’s unmistakable voice and the raw energy of those who’ve joined her along the way. The album boasts a lineup of heavy hitters, including Kelley Deal, Mando Lopez, Jim Macpherson, and Britt Walford, alongside Jack Lawrence from the Raconteurs, Raymond McGinley (Teenage Fanclub), and Fay Milton and Ayse Hassan (Savages).
Listen to the song below, or order here. You can also pre-order the album from the 4AD site.
Deal will be appearing with the Breeders on select tour dates, including an appearance at Ohana Festival. Get tickets here.
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