Caleb NicholsShe is not your shadow
DATA
Label
Kill Rock Stars
Format
Digital
Release Date
May 26, 2023
Territory
Europe
TRACKLISTING
1. Waylaid
2. Shadow Step
3. Night Song
4. Idiot
ABOUT THE RELEASE
On the heels of their latest Kill Rock Stars EP, Chan Says & Other Songs, Caleb Nichols returns with She Is Not Your Shadow, a four song collection of tight, hooky, infectious indie-pop.
Blending the sounds of early 00’s indie rock and, at times, 90’s brit pop, Nichols’ latest compositions sparkle and shimmer, and might remind listeners of early Wilco, the Shins, Belle & Sebastian, and even Blur.
Thematically, the EP addresses the complexity of queer desire— from the burning refrain of “Waylaid” in whichNichols sings “I want to be tame/ but also wander/ burst into flame/ but I’m so fond of/ you calling my name” to the night-blooming alt-rock of “Night Song”, a document of summer-soaked queer joy, these are songs brimming with emotion and feeling.
“Shadow Step” continues Nichols’ exploration of gender via the character Chan, in a 5 minute conversation between what feels like two old friends. “If I let you drive,” Nichols sings, “would you let me ride/ beside you? You know you’re my ride or die/ and we’ve got so much time.”
Finally, in EP-closer “Idiot”, Nichols belts out a wallo- ping, jazz-infused chorus, heavy with what could be self-loathing, or maybe something more adjacent to FOMO: “Idiot/ it’s what you wanted/ see them shadow on the wall/ having a ball.”
COVER
