In April, the distinctly emotive Queens-based indie rock outfit Hiding Places released their debut full-length, The Secret To Good Living. The record pulses with distorted guitars and Audrey Keelin’s contemplative vocals, punctuated by bursts of murky country-ish tones from fellow songwriter Nicholas Byrne. It’s a strong listen throughout, and so is “Paradise,” the band’s latest single released today.
“Paradise” sits on the gentler end of Hiding Places’ spectrum. Each member of the group offers their own take on the track. Here’s Keelin:
When we explored what this song might mean, our bandmate Michael noted that “Paradise isn’t what it used to be.” Faces aren’t fixed from moment to moment. Time moves on. Change is real. This tune probes that personal realization from the narrator’s perspective.
And Byrne:
Paradise… does that imply a place where all desires come true? Or is that place really just a projection of our fears, where each longing acts as a remedy? Coming to terms with change feels like the way I once imagined paradise would be.
And here’s another thought from Michael Matsakis:
A goal with the arrangement was to hold back, so the song wouldn’t get heavy too quickly. I felt a slow burn matched the track’s energy better than something that escalates all at once. We pared back instrumental parts to basic melodic fragments and focused on weaving non-melodic lines to form harmony.
Below, watch the “Paradise” video, directed by Hiding Places and Nara Avakina, and stick around for The Secret To Good Living if you like what you hear.
TOUR DATES:
12/02 – Medford, MA – Deep Cuts &
12/03 – Montreal, QC – La Sotterenea &
12/04 – Toronto, ON – The Garrison &
12/05 – Detroit, MI – Lager House &
12/07 – Nashville, TN – The End &
12/08 – Louisville, KY – The Burl LLC &
12/09 – Pittsburgh, PA – Bottlerocket Social Hall &
12/10 – Washington, DC – Songbyrd Music House &
12/11 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s &
12/12 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom &
01/23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right +
05/01 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church *
05/04 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage *
05/05 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall *
05/07 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West *
05/10 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village *
05/11 – Whitefish Bay, WI @ The Argo *
05/12 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club *
05/15 – Lakewood, OH @ Mahall’s *
& with Wild Pink
+ with Horsepower
* with Hudson Freeman
