Kevin Bronson on February 15th, 2023

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Catching up with new releases from Steady Holiday, Nick Waterhouse and Eyedress …

STEADY HOLIDAY, “Newfound Oxygen”

Update, Friday, Feb. 17: We’re updating this post with Steady Holiday’s “mad scientist” video for “Newfound Oxygen,” directed by Isaac Ravishankara. The album is out now.

Dre Babinski’s fourth full-length as Steady Holiday, “Newfound Oxygen” (out Friday), is easy on the ears but maybe not so much on that thing that lies between them. Unless you’re delusionary and think you are beyond even the smallest bit of self-examination. Anyway, see “The Balance” and “Can’t Find a Way” for examples of what Babinski and producer Ari Balouzian (of Gabriels) hath wrought. And to start off this week, Steady Holiday released the album closer (and title track). So here it is. “Ending the album with ‘Newfound Oxygen’ was an eleventh-hour decision that I’m happy I made. The album now ends with optimism,” Babinski says. “This song is about getting a little perspective, whether that’s physically removing yourself from a situation, or simply exercising a little patience and empathy. Life is complex. There is way too much nuance in every given moment to nail it every time. But having a grounded sense of oneself, and responding accordingly, is an achievable goal. There’s nothing mysterious about that. ‘No magic / no pretend / Silver bullets bend / Nothing heaven-sent / It’s newfound oxygen.’ This sentiment felt like the perfect send-off.”
See Steady Holiday on March 15 at Dynasty Typewriter.

NICK WATERHOUSE, “Play to Win”

Nick Waterhouse’s sixth album, “The Fooler,” arrives, appropriately, on April 1. The follow-up to “Hide and Seek” and the title track, “Play to Win” is the new single, in which Waterhouse is either barroom poet or cocksure gambler, or both. “Play to Win,” he says, “a heartbreak type of tune with co-writer [Anthony “Doc” Polizzi] and producer Mark Neill both taking me to a place I have never been in my career before. This is about what it’s like in the din and chatter of city apartment parties, bars, sitting rooms and loneliness from the seat one’s sitting in looking at the insouciant world around.” For further information, reach Waterhouse at (833) 777-KFLR.

EYEDRESS, “Flowers & Chocolate”

Oops, we missed the Hallmark holiday, sorry / not. But what better way to “celebrate” than with Eyedress’ “Flowers & Chocolate,” the artist’s first original single since last August’s release of his 28-track (!) opus “Full Time Lover.” Here we find the songwriter, Manila-born, L.A.-based Idris Vicuña, in his sweet spot (of all the many genres he is known to undertake): synth-washed post-punk. If you — like Eyedress is in Eddie Huang’s video — are cruising around town thinking about your Valentine, this is the song for you. Don’t forget the flowers.