Today, SINGLE MOTHERS are premiering their new single “Nihilist Headlights” via BrooklynVegan. The song is an older one, dating back to the sessions from the band’s 2017 album Our Pleasure, but prior to today has never been shared by the band. As vocalist Drew Thomson explains below, the album was a creative peak for the band and, having been written and recorded around when Thomson first quit drinking, the songs from that period hold a special significance for Thomson and the band.
“I thought all the B-sides from ‘Our Pleasure’ were really good. Brandon, Justis, Ross and I worked so well together we ended up recording 17 songs in that session. I had it in my head I wanted a 10 song record so we had to cut some, looking back – probably didn’t have to. ‘Army Green’ and ‘Skylight’ went on a 7” that accompanied the album and I kind of forgot about the rest until I was digging through a hard drive and found a folder with the others. After pulling up ‘Nihilist Headlights’ it brought me right back to that time and how fun it was to be writing and recording music again with my friends. I’ve often said I think ‘Our Pleasure’ is our best record – but I think I mean more than that – it was the time and the excitement and change. I quit drinking during this record – started finding myself (however lame that sounds). I do think ‘Our Pleasure’ is our best record so far – but I also think that was the best era of the band as a whole – and all the songs, even the ones that are still just on that hard drive – I’m proud to have been apart of and will always be thankful to my friends for being there and helping me through that time. I’m glad we can share this song – and move on once again”
The track is being released ahead of a North American tour with Single Mothers’ Dine Alone label mates The Dirty Nil that begins in Single Mothers’ hometown of London, Ontario on Wednesday, November 20th. Full details can be found below.
Single Mothers’ “Nihilist Headlights” is out now via Dine Alone.
Tour Dates:
Nov 20 – London, ON @ London Music Hall
Nov 21 – Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrews Hall
Nov 22 – Toledo, OH @ The Ottawa Tavern
Nov 23 – Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge
Nov 24 – Milwaukee, WI @ X-Ray Arcade
Nov 25 – Bloomington, IL @ Night Shop
Nov 26 – South Bend, ID @ McCormicks Coney Island
Nov 27 – Fort Wayne, IN @ The Muse on Main
Nov 28 – Toronto, ON @ The Phoenix Concert Theatre
Nov 29 – Ottawa, ON @ Babylon Nightclub
Dec 1 – Somerville, MA @ ONCE Somerville
Dec 3 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade NYC
Dec 6 – Washington, DC @ DC9 Nightclub
Dec 7 – Philadelphia, PA @ Voltage Lounge
Dec 11 – Columbus, OH @ The Basement
Dec 12 – Lakewood, OH @ Mahall’s
w/ The Dirty Nil
Combining scab-peeling punk with speak-shout vocals reminiscent of the Hold Steady, this band of townies from London, Ontario, ruthlessly skewers hypocrites, McSweeney’s snobs, drunk assholes, and God, just to name a few. Pitchfork
[Thomson’s] lyrics touch on relationships, poverty, and ambition with a blunt poetry that would seem voyeuristic if it weren’t so relatable…a pitch-perfect balance of sincere vulnerability and tongue-in-cheek egotism Noisey
Single Mothers are back, boiling over with rage, and we couldn’t be happier. Revolver
Single Mothers live and die by post-hardcore, taking influence from forefathers that range from Quicksand to indie-rooted acts like Cursive, creating a version that is singularly theirs and singularly incendiary. BrooklynVegan
