With one month until the group’s first full-length album in five years, Philly’s Speedy Ortiz has released their single “Ghostwriter” along with a music video on August 1st. On Friday, the band will be at World Cafe Live for WXPN’s weekly Free At Noon concert series.
The new track is Speedy Ortiz’s fourth single and closing track from their new album Rabbit Rabbit, which will be released on Sept. 1st via Wax Nine. Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Sadie Dupuis takes aim at anger itself on the song, questioning why it must prevail with each decision she makes. On the final chorus she sings “I’m tired of anger / How do I let go? / Yank a dandelion and blow / I’m trying, I’m trying.” Her frustration is backed by rocking production and a sticky chorus, complete with a dark, fuzzy guitar riff that embodies the feeling of anger.
Dupuis stated in a press release that “my bandmates picked “Ghostwriter” as a single, perhaps because it subtly nods to our unabashed love of nu metal.” She describes presenting music video director Alex Ross Perry with reference videos from Deftones and Limp Bizkit for “Ghostwriter.” The result is non-stop energy complete with fun camera movement, quick-focusing headshots, red and blue light, and bleacher seats that complete their throwback Y2K aesthetic. The video also contains countless cameos from niche personalities such as comedian Josh Gondelman, Spencer Peppet of the Ophelias, and New Yorker cartoonist Adam Katzenstein to name a few.
Speedy Ortiz will be at World Cafe Live on Friday, Aug. 4th for Free At Noon, with tickets available now here. They also announced support for their enormous 2023 tour from Washer, Poolblood, Foyer Red, The Baths, and Spacemoth. The band will appear at Johnny Brenda’s on Sept. 5th; details on that show can be found at WXPN’s Concerts and Events page. “Ghostwriter” is out now on all streaming services, and you can watch the video below. Rabbit Rabbit will be released on Sept. 1st and can be pre-ordered and pre-saved now through Speedy Ortiz’s website.