Philadelphia’s own Greg Mendez is back with exciting news. In addition to signing with Dead Oceans (home to many XPN faves such as Bright Eyes, Cassandra Jenkins, Japanese Breakfast, Mitski, and more), the singer-songwriter announced a new EP, First Time / Alone, set to release in October.
If the title doesn’t convey the solitude of the EP, Mendez’s new single certainly does. “First Time” is a melancholic track, with Mendez’s forlorn vocals gliding over simple electric organ chords. Like a warm hug on a crisp autumn day, the song envelops listeners, balancing the harshness of external forces with a gentle touch. There’s a homemade touch to the official visualizer for the track, with a recurring motif of stars that mirror the single’s album art (which features sketches of stars colored by Mendez).
First Time / Alone was born after a wrist surgery last year left Mendez unable to play the guitar and forced him to cancel tour dates. Mendez initially planned on refining the tracks, however, the more he returned to work on them, the more complete they felt as-is. While sparse at times, Mendez’s writing is rich and vivid, and the EP is a testament to the beauty in directness and simplicity. The four songs on the EP appear in the order that they were written, recorded right here in Philadelphia.
First Time / Alone is set to release on October 18, the very day that Mendez will play at Johnny Brenda’s as part of his fall tour. If that isn’t the recipe for a fantastic show, I don’t know what is! Head over to XPN’s Concert Calendar for more details, and watch the official visualizer for “First Time” below.