There’s a new pop band in Atlanta! Even though they’ve been together since 2016, the energy on Lunar Vacation’s new single is so fresh and genuine it’s hard to believe that it’s been five years since the four-piece started crafting deliciously simple cocktails of bedroom pop and alt-rock. Though the sound is still sunny, there’s no mistaking the lyrical evolution of songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist Grace Repasky, whose typically introspective lyrics take a philosophical turn with lines like “Good or bad it’s hard to say / Paint my walls a shade of grey / Playing safe.” Using paint as a motif to understand their own muddled headspace and identity is a delicate metaphor, but the listener feels drawn into the journey rather than confused or alienated.
Much of the emotional pull of the track is derived from Repasky’s attempt to come to terms with themself through the songwriting process. “I look back now and realize that this song was a pivotal moment in delving into self-identity and ultimately identifying as a non-binary person,” they explain. “The more I tried to fit into a box, the more I felt out of place. Reconstructing thinking patterns and unlearning a binary outlook is a lifelong journey, and I think ‘Shrug’ is a documented beginning for me.”
The video, which was filmed by Violet Teegardin, is interspersed with animation from John Andrews. Watch/listen above.
“Shrug” is the first single from the band’s upcoming LP, which will be released on Keeled Scales later this year.
Lunar Vacation will perform on Sat., Oct. 23 at the Shaky Knees Music Festival. Admission is $99-$7400. All ages.
More Info
Bandcamp: lunarvacationatl.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @lunarvacationatl
Instagram: @lunarvacationmusic
SoundCloud: @lunarvacation
Twitter: @lunar_vacation