Let’s welcome another impressive act to Julia’s War Recordings’ roster. Julia’s War, the Philadelphia imprint launched by Doug Dulgarian, the frontman of They Are Gutting A Body Of Water, is enjoying a remarkable hot streak, issuing standout releases from acts like Total Wife, Mx Lonely, God Of War, and Melaina Kol. For their next move, the label collaborates with Bee Side Cassettes to release the latest LP from the St. Louis outfit Shady Bug.
Shady Bug have been a fixture of the Midwest DIY circuit for nearly ten years, yet their last full-length dropped in 2019’s Lemon Lime. They also contributed to Strange Ranger’s 2020 Bernie Sanders benefit compilation and released the EP What’s The Use? in 2023. The forthcoming album I wanted to be there was tracked over a 10-day sprint in St. Louis with Scoops Dardaris, known for his work with TAGABOW and Alex G.
The leading track, “my night routine,” arrives as an expansive emotive fuzz-pop banger. It moves between intimate quiet and explosive loudness in satisfying, non-template ways, anchored by Hannah’s potent emotional delivery. Here is her take on the song:
I first wrote this piece back in 2019 inside my bedroom in South City, St. Louis. The lyrics depict a summer of leaving words unsaid, while the hum of a box fan at night and a screen porch bathed in the glow of a phone screen frame a hope that every argument won’t end up as just dust under the rug. The recording of this record holds a special place for us because we captured most of it live at The Nest—a St. Louis house venue (Ripple’s place)—where we also cut our 2017 debut tbh idk. The video for “my night routine” was directed by our friend Lana Dvorak, who used to live in St. Louis and now works in LA. She crafted the winged beetle on wheels and the alluring moon imagery.
I’m thrilled to release “my night routine” as the lead single! There was an earlier version in 2020, but we shelved it in the wake of the pandemic. Ripple and I chose to revisit and reshape the track in 2024, adding a grittier section and my guitar solo at the end. It was a joy to make 🙂 Thanks for listening!
Watch the Lana Dvorak–directed video for “my night routine” below.
TRACKLIST:
01 “oh okay”
02 “worm in the storm”
03 “i wanted to be there when it happened”
04 “blinkered”
05 “basket”
06 “a truce”
07 “afraid of the answer”
08 “seed”
09 “protect me”
10 “my night routine”
11 “high horse”
12 “misty”
13 “smokestacks”
14 “sub dreams”
I wanted to be there drops 10/30 via Julia’s War/Bee Side Cassettes. Pre-order it here.
