by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Philadelphia’s Lily McKown is an artist worth getting to know. The singer-songwriter’s music comes from a real place within, her songs a source for necessary dialog and personal expression. Following a debut EP released last year, McKown is set to share her full length debut, Backseat Driver, on August 14th via Smartt* Records. Having already shared the infectious title track that finds a sweet folk-pop bliss, we’re excited to share our next glimpse into the album, the dark and reflective “Metal In The Outlet.”
Reminiscent of bands like Palehound, Momma, and maybe a touch of Big Thief, McKown’s latest has a dirgey acoustic quality to it, the sound raw and minimal, lending a stark backdrop to her lyrics. Speaking about the song, McKown shared, “the song is inspired by a true story of when I was 8 years old and a boy dared me to put the end of a tape measure in the outlet. It also reflects on growing up with boys and feeling excluded for being a girl.” The lyrics examine the terrible nature of boy’s behavior from an early age, reflected as McKown sings “I was playing with the wrong toys, want to stick my hair up like the boys, build a lego city just to knock it down, when he says the girl character sucks but she’s pretty when she shuts her mouth.” It’s a learned attitude that starts at an early age and its never okay.
Thankfully, we imagine the world will be hearing a lot more for Lily McKown.