Historian, will be the sophomore album from Richmond, Va. native Lucy Dacus, counting down the days until its March release. Our anticipation has only intensified with the release of “Addictions,” the second single from Dacus’ impending record.
The second track on Historian, “Addictions” is an honest, horn-assisted anthem, accompanied by a video directed by the singer-songwriter herself. Dacus, a former film student, was able to put her cinematic skills to use in the making of the video, in part a love letter to her native Richmond. A nameless protagonist explores the city, viewing it through a magical, black-and-white frame while reflecting upon her past. This visual device separates the reality of the present (the world of color) from the fantasies of the past (the black-and-white world), reinforcing the central idea of “Addictions”—how we come to rely upon substances, activities, places or people, and how hard it can be to leave them in the past. “You’ve got addictions too, it’s true,” Dacus insists as the song crescendos, forcing each one of us to look inward and take stock of all we’re holding on to.
Historian is out on March 2nd via Matador Records. You can revisit the album’s initial announcement—and its superlative first single, “Night Shift”
The Fat Angel Sings 