Mr. Husband, out of Baltimore, is the project of Kenny Tompkins, who comes cut from the same cloth as other prolific pop weirdos such as Ariel Pink and R. Stevie Moore. Since his debut release Plaid on Plaid on Yellow K Records, back in 2016, he’s moved his way through various genres, but always centered around the intimacy of bedroom pop. This new track, “Friends,” which ATH is proud to premiere today, is no exception to the great songwriting of Mr. Husband. Springy guitar riffs jangle in the mix before Tompkins’ vocals join in, which are soon complimented by Beach Boys-esque “oohs” that finish off the blend of instrumentation in a golden light. Despite the sunny sound, as you’ll hear in the song, our narrator is coming to terms with cutting out an unwanted presence in their life, and talks about lending out a favorite record only to know he’ll never get it back. Regardless of the poor decisions of the song’s narrator, “Friends,” is a lo-fi pop gem with a catchy chorus and quaint elements that will delight any listener.
“Friends” is taken from Mr. Husband’s upcoming release, …& The Husky Section, which will be released on May 3rd via Yellow K Records and Good Soil Records, both digitally and as a limited run of cassettes. Preorder it here.