by Conor Lochrie (@conornoconnor)
Given all the cumulative stress of the past year, a person could be forgiven for sometimes not feeling up to committing to listening to a full record. In such an instance, Meg Duffy now has you covered. As the sole member of the indie-rock outfit Hand Habits, they’ve released the thrifty EP Dirt: just two songs, or three if the digital exclusive remix of their previous song “What’s the Use” is included.
It never feels lightweight though, packing much vibrancy and notes of interest into just ten minutes; brevity is Duffy’s friend here. Away from their Hand Habits project, Duffy is well-known as a session musician for artists such as Kevin Morby and The War on Drugs. Almost unusually for a backing member bursting out on their own, previous Hand Habits releases have been understated and intimate, never showy.
The first song here, “4th of July,” starts in this manner, just a pared back acoustic guitar. Duffy soon flicks a switch, the track euphorically rising into a dramatically stomping rhythm. It swells and soars like the fireworks above the sky on that titular day. “4th of July” sizzles with an easiness and coolness but the lyrics are touched with importance. “But don’t cry, demolition baby / Always blowing it up / Getting so stuck / Both hands in the dirt,” Duffy coos in the chorus, acknowledging their need for self-excavation and recovery and discovery.
Their next track is the unenviable task of covering Neil Young. Taking “I Believe in You” from the singer-songwriter’s classic 1970 album After the Gold Rush no less, its faithfulness is commensurate, but adding enough new touches to satisfy its inclusion. Kyle Thomas of King Tuff assists with some deep backing vocals, while elsewhere there are slowly chugging guitars and distant piano lines.
While the previous two tracks tread the folk-rock perimeter, the third is an alien being entirely. “What’s the Use” was on the 2019 Hand Habits LP Placeholder but here it’s transformed beyond recognition by the Australian experimental pop musician Katie Dey. Through glitchy vocal manipulation and playful beats, it’s a hyperpop delight, recalling the work of the late, great SOPHIE.
Dirt may be short but its insightful into the future direction Duffy could be heading. The second half of “4th of July” hints at the possibility of exploring a more explosive and bigger sound than her usual quiet. Following the example of “What’s the Use” would be a more seismic, Dylan-esque shift from guitar to electronica. It will be intriguing whichever way they go.