Seven years since her self-released debut Another Love Song, New Orleans singer-songwriter Maddy Kirgo returns later this summer with her sophomore record. Released via Gar Hole Records, the album sees an evolution of Another Love Song‘s warm and timeless style, expanding in scope without sacrificing any of the intimate sincerity.
I’m so glad I met you
Our love was a dream come true
It’s not gonna fade away
Just lives in a different place
Our hearts aren’t broken
No, they’re growing
This sense of empowerment is a recurring theme across the record, as testified by lead single ‘Try Harder’, a song the label describe as “about being a confused young person and trying to do your best in a complex and uncertain world.” Sounding something like a long-lost nineties alt-rock-pop hit, the track packs in plucked acoustic guitar, wistful pedal steel and stabs of brash electric guitar as Kirgo does her best to deal with dashed dreams and grim realities, again striving to find positivity wherever she can. “It’s a pretty simple story,” Kirgo says. “This album was meant to bring me joy and I hope that, when people listen to it, they feel good.”
I’ve been trying hard to try harder
I stretch and drink my eight cups of water
I put down my phone, made me smarter
I’ve been trying hard to try harder
Shadow On My Light will be released via Gar Hole Records on 16th August. Pre-order a copy now from the Maddy Kirgo Bandcamp page.
Album art by Emma Ledgerwood, Feed My Ego