Blush Face is a Richmond-based band led by songwriter Allie Smith, along with Billy Bacci (bass), Drew Barnocky (drums) and Evan Hoffman (guitar). Released back in 2017, their debut record What Do You Want? positioned itself at the intersection of folk, indie rock and dream pop, and was made distinctive by a bittersweet balance of lush nostalgia and whimsical rhythm. Think Lynchian ballads charged with playful energy, what the band label “‘lectric lullaby pop rocks.”
Ahead of a forthcoming EP, Blush Face are releasing brand new single, ‘Had To’. The track builds on the previous record, holding onto its spirit while pushing the sound into an increasingly maximalist direction. As such, the single welcomes an array of guest contributors to realise its potential, with Linnea Morgan (violin) Ali Morgan (cello), Reyna Pannell (violin),
Erin Roukous (harp), Stephen Moser (trumpet), Kevin Sabik (trumpet) and Joshua Smith (saxophone) all lending their talents.
“I wanted the song to grab people’s attention and stand out from the rest since so many people are listening to playlists these days and songs can bleed into one another,” Smith explains. “We kinda joked ‘what if we just start it off with the harp glissando?’ and ending up loving it.'”
Thematically, the song confronts the gap between expectation and reality, and looks to find solace in the action. “‘Had To’ is a song about acceptance of your current place in the world,” Smith concludes, “despite the fact that perhaps in another dimension things could have gone the way you hoped.” Maybe there is a reason behind such disappointments, Blush Face suggest. Perhaps there are opportunities for personal growth within set backs and failure. Maybe things had to happen like this, and couldn’t be any other way.
‘Had To’ is out now and available from the Blush Face Bandcamp page.