Kate Teague is a singer-songwriter based in New Orleans. Last year we wrote about Teague’s self-titled EP, what we described as “a rich tapestry of emotions that nevertheless maintains a near conversational tone.” A style which “allow[ed] Teague to delve into a kind of natural poetry,” we continued, “the incidental poetry of daydreams where the various strands of any given moment stitch into a beautiful whole.”
Kate Teague returned with new single, ‘The Temporary’ back in June, a track which married 90s-style dream pop and experimental synth pop, resulting in a slow swirling song about the ephemeral nature of life. But that wasn’t all the new material Teague worked on, and several months later she has released another new single, ‘Play For Time’.
Compared to previous releases, the track feels reined-in somewhat, a bittersweet ballad that focuses on acoustic guitar and Teague’s vocals. This stylistic choice was something of a happy accident, as Teague listened back to early version of the song and decided to go with it. “I recorded [‘Play For Time’] with Clay Jones right around this time last year,” she describes. “I initially intended for it to just be a demo, but afterwards I realized that I couldn’t imagine it recorded any different than this.”
The stripped-back atmosphere of ‘Play For Time’ gives Kate Teague a newfound sense of directness as potent feelings tussle in her mind. “I wrote this song to try and contain my urge of wanting to tell someone about my feelings for them,” she says, “out of fear they may not feel the same way.” The result is gently heartfelt and somehow certain in its uncertainty, as if the correct answer is hidden in plain view.
‘Play For Time’ is out now and available from the Kate Teague Bandcamp page.