“New York” is a song by American musician St. Vincent. It was released on June 30th, 2017, through Loma Vista as the lead single off her fifth studio album, Masseduction. “New York” is a sombre ballad mourning the end of a relationship. Unlike her previous material, the song does not contain Clark’s “fiery guitar playing, nor the squelching industrial soundscapes of her great self-titled album from 2014. It’s just her voice, and some simple lilting piano chords—that’s about it.” The song finds Clark “singing without apparent irony about personal loss. The song could also be read as a eulogy for a certain portion of the soul of New York City itself; she sings mostly about locales in the East Village, painting them with a wild romantic streak that exists mostly in the memory of the city’s denizens.” It is far more straightforward than we’ve come to expect from Annie Clark,
American singer-songwriter St. Vincent treats the New York audience to her track fittingly titled ‘New York.’
St. Vincent was the musical guest on the Late Show With Stephen Colbert, performing two new tracks from her forthcoming album Masseduction.
Annie Clark chose to sing ‘New York’ live on the show with the iconic imagery from the album’s artwork taking centre stage behind her, choosing to change the usual “motherfucker” line to “you’re the only other sucker in the city who can handle me” due to television guidelines.
Following the live TV performance, St Vincent decided to treat guests of the show to a rendition of ‘Los Ageless’ – another track from the album but the familiar PVC boots as seen in the official video reemerged for the performance.
In a press conference shown live on Facebook, St. Vincent announced that her latest album, Masseduction, will be released on October. 13th. Pre-order now and download “Los Ageless” and “New York” instantly.
She also released the new single, “Los Ageless,” The song follows “New York,” which was released in June, and which just received its own video treatment.
While St. Vincent, aka Annie Clark, has previously described the record as being about heavy topics like “sex and drugs and sadness,” the lead-up to the announcement has been anything but. She’s been teasing it for days, posting short, sarcastic video clips on social media, which in a recent New Yorker profileshe referred to has her new media kit. In the clips, she mocks journalists for the cliches regularly hurled at her, like questions about performing in heels, how she’s changed since her last album or whether St. Vincent and Annie Clark are the same person. The videos were written by her friend Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney and Portlandia fame.
But there is also the question of her album cover, which reportedly features neither St. Vincent nor Annie Clark. Shot on the same set as the videos, it shows a woman bending over, donning hot pink tights and a leopard-print thong bodysuit in front of a red background. As she revealed, “This is not my ass. This is my friend Carlotta’s ass. Isn’t it a nice ass?” She’s referring to her research assistant, who is also a photographer and model. “But will people assume that it’s my ass?” she continued. “I was thinking of a photo of my face that encapsulates the entire record—but maybe that’s a bit of a fool’s errand.”
In addition, Clark sent out a message on her mailing list about Masseduction in which she likens the album release to wedding planning. “Putting out a record is like having a bridezilla-style* wedding every 2-3 years. Lots of ‘did you get the save the date? it was an email cause, you know, the planet…’ and fussing over flower arrangements, except you’re walking down the aisle to your own music by yourself, to your ‘self,’” she wrote, before later acknowledging that the whole metaphor is “sexist af.” “Your bridesmaids and groomsmen are your label, agents, managers, day managers, personal assistants standing expectant with a mixture of stress, excitement, pride. The fans are the attendees, who will pick sides (this side prefers the old you walking down the aisle, this side is onboard for the new you waiting at the altar, there is definitely one person who will protest the marriage in a drunken, dramatic way
Annie Clark has also followed up “New York,” the controlled, composed first single, with a new track called “Los Ageless.” The title might make the song seem like a companion piece, but it’s actually a pulsing, synthetic, slightly funky piece of new wave. It sounds like nothing Clark has ever released before. Clark and Antonoff co-produced the album, recording most of it in New York’s storied Electric Lady studios. It features a ton of greats, including young jazz great Kamasi Washington on saxophone, Jenny Lewis on vocals, Kendrick Lamar collaborator Sounwave on beat production, and Thomas Bartlett, the French musician known as Doveman, on piano.
St. Vincent: Fear The Future, is a special live performance off the new album MASSEDUCTION on October 7th and presented as part of the Red Bull Music Academy Festival Los Angeles. This collaboration with Red Bull Music Academy will bring the forthcoming album as well as previous St. Vincent material to life in technicolor.
In a statement, Clark had this to say about the album:
Every record I make has an archetype. Strange Mercy was Housewives on Pills. St. Vincent was Near-Future Cult Leader. MASSEDUCTION is different, it’s pretty first person. You can’t fact-check it, but if you want to know about my life, listen to this record.
This song is a striking, slow-burning tale of loss and isolation that grows and rises and ramps up with the help of symphonic flourishes, never releasing the tension so you’re left gasping for more after the last beat fades.
Annie Clark aka St Vincent has detailed her upcoming tour for this month – find out full details and ticket info at ilovestvincent.com.
Clark’s been busy since the end of her self titled record campaign, contributing to the “Bobs Burgers” box set, releasing a new horror film and designing a new guitar … amongst other things.
In December last year Clark revealed a few details about her the follow up to her eponymous 2014 album, including that it’d be out in spring (although this was clearly incorrect).
“I’ve been able to step back and reflect and not just be in the tour, record, tour, record cycle that I’ve been in for about 10 years,” Clark has said . “I think it’ll be the deepest, boldest work I’ve ever done… I feel the playing field is really open for creative people to do whatever you want, and that risk will be rewarded – especially now that we have such high stakes from a political and geo-political standpoint. The personal is political and therefore the political can’t help but influence the art. And only music that has something pretty real to say is gonna cut the mustard.”
“New York” is out now via Loma Vista/Caroline International.
Two nights ago, St Vincent performed a blistering one hour set on the Letterman webcast , and two songs on the Letterman TV show St Vinvent is to headline the End Of The Road Festival on friday evening on the Woods Stage,
check out St Vincent Annie Clark talking about her guitars, het tutor and her guitar style
Green Man is one of the best UK festivals, Its a very well organised and again this year offers another sterling line-up set in the beautiful Brecon Beacons with the Black Mountains as the stage backdrop.
A beautiful compact site and smart programming is the key to Green Man. With over a decade of experience behind it, it has established a loyal fan base and a cool but relaxed reputation. As might be expected of a boutique festival, it offers a great range of fun and cerebral activities, and is welcoming to both families and younger discerning urbanites. Musically, it’s a deluge of delight with echoes of its folkish beginnings and a distinct feel for the hottest acts of the season. The giant effigy of the Green Man himself stands on a hill witnessing the proceedings, disappearing in a blaze at the end of the last day. It is definitely a bit Wicker Man with a Welsh pagan twist. Add to this a 24-hour licence and a top range of inexpensive food stalls and you’ve got a definite winner.
Music highlights: Courtney Barnett, The Fall, Father John Misty, Goat, Hookworms, Hot Chip, Matthew E White, St Vincent, Super Furry Animals, Viet Cong
Hot Chip will headline the Friday night of the festival, which takes place at Glanusk Park in the Brecon Beacons from August 20-23. St Vincent, meanwhile, will close the festival on the Sunday evening.
The Fat Angel Sings 