Slowly but surely over the past several years, Philly’s Gladie has amassed one of the stronger catalogs in east coast DIY. Led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Augusta Koch and founded in the wake of her trailblazing power trio Cayetana, Gladie made their full-length debut in February of 2020 with the Lame-O release Safe Sins. An impeccably strong run of EP and single releases followed, independently distributed through Bandcamp, and this winter Gladie is back with LP number two: Don’t Know What You’re In Until You’re Out, releasing November 18th through Koch’s label Plum Records.
The band shared news of the album today, along with the terrific indie-punk anthem “Nothing,” which was an undeniable standout when an expanded five-piece edition of Gladie — featuring longtime collaborator Matt Schimelfenig on guitar and keys as well as Pat Conaboy on guitar, Dennis Mishko on bass, and Miles Ziskind on drums — played Johnny Brenda’s this summer supporting their friends Cave People.
In an e-newsletter, Koch had this to say about the song:
“This first song ‘nothing’ came from a thought experiment based on what ended up being the chorus of the song ‘What would it feel like to want Nothing?’ Basically, in all aspects of life, whether it’s relationships, consumerism, or any other constant desire, there is always this push from external and internal forces telling you, ‘More, More, More’ but is that really a healthy way to live? Maybe it’s more fruitful to actually want less to make you appreciate that what you do possess is greater than it seems.”
In a music video filmed and edited by the band, we see Koch performing at home, wandering around the muted nature of the Poconos, all the while being pursued by a giant pink telephone. Watch it below, and pre-order Don’t Know What You’re In Until You’re Out here. Gladie has two concerts on the radar this winter: on November 29th, they’ll open for Laura Jane Grace at Ardmore Music Hall, and on December 17th they’ll play the Sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church with Jeff Rosenstock and Laura Stevenson. More information on both shows can be found at WXPN’s Concerts and Events page.