When Lucy Dacus first caught attention in 2016 with her debut album No Burden, the Richmond, Virginia songwriter impressed with her ability to both lean on her voice and bury it in guitar rock. The album got her the attention of pretty much every indie label imaginable, with Matador ultimately winning the battle to both re-release that record to a wide audience and to put out her sophomore LP. Now, the time for that second album has arrived, with Historian set to be released on March 2nd.
In advance of that, Dacus has offered up her first single from the set, “Night Shift.” It’s the first breakup song she’s ever written, and she goes long on the subject in the six-minute-plus track. The song manages to hit on a range of emotions associated with heartbreak, including moments of sadness, longing, and rage. Musically, it steadily builds to a pummeling finale, reaching emotional heights that she hasn’t previously attempted.
Hearing “Night Shift,” it’s not surprising that Dacus considers this record her ultimate statement as an artist. “This is the album I needed to make, everything after is a bonus,” she said in a statement.
Historian was produced by Collin Pastore and mixed by John Congleton. Give “Night Shift” a listen above, and check out the tracklisting and artwork below.
1. “Night Shift”
2. “Addictions”
3. “The Shell”
4. “Nonbeliever”
5. “Yours And Mine”
6. “Body To Flame”
7. “Timefighter”
8. “Next Of Kin”
9. “Pillar Of Truth”
10. “Historians”
