After a triumphant 2023 that saw their fourth album, Lucky For You, top an array of year-end lists — including WXPN’s — Bully is starting off 2024 with a big tour and a new song.
Released Friday, “Atom Bomb” is a haunting piano ballad performed solo by frontperson Alicia Bognanno, who describes it as an exercise in creative collaboration. As she describes, “The song was originally recorded with a drum machine and electric guitar; it was also quite a bit faster. When I played the demo for JT Daly (producer), he had the idea of moving it to the piano. I remember saying out loud, ‘Can you believe I’m trusting anybody like this?’ We both started laughing because starting off as someone who used to record, mix, and produce their own records to avoid the vulnerability that comes with working out creative ideas in the company of others, it was a huge step for me. That was our first real bonding moment, acknowledging that we were mutually up for trying new things and seeing each other’s ideas through before one of us shut it down.”
Watch a music video of Bognanno performing “Atom Bomb” live in the studio below; the band kicks off a North American tour with GROUPLOVE this Tuesday, March 5, in San Diego; full dates here. Bully’s next Philadelphia appearance happens at the XPoNential Music Festival, which takes place September 20th through the 22nd at Wiggins Park in Camden, NJ, where they’ll join The Walkmen, Rosanne Cash, Phosphorescent, Blondshell, Lizzie No and more. Tickets are available now, and more information can be found here.