PWR BTTM Gets Acoustic with ‘New Hampshire’ [Stream]

A lot of things die: toxic relationships, good relationships, human lives, sunday dinners, cold seasons, the list goes on. Some look at death and get scared, others face it head on, and others explore the facts with a certain type of indifference that’s hard to find. PWR BTTM does just that with their new, acoustic track. “New Hampshire” explores that exact indifference and then digs even deeper. The way the two sing about dying and the birds dying is innately lackadaisical, but their death wishes are what seem to stand out; “You and I will die. Oh well. In the summer, just dig me up and put me on the high line. I really like the breeze.”

The one word that describes this song pretty well, I think, is comfortable — the punk rock duo strips of any typical punk rock elements in this new acoustic song, and it just feels right, even though it’s so different from their usual sound. PWR BTTM sings about feeling comfortable with and desirous of whatever is unfamiliarly tantalizing after something dies. They can’t help but to think about what’s so good about what they don’t have. And who wouldn’t want to haunt the High Line after they die?

Here’s what the invincible, queer duo had to say about the track:

“It’s a song about greener grass. I wrote it during a period of time where I hated where I lived and who I was there, and I just felt so helpless that like I figured whenever I did inevitably wither away the parties that be could ship me somewhere better. Reflecting on it, the hopelessness I felt was actually in me, and the place I was in or where I wanted to be couldn’t help things if I wasn’t willing to help myself first.” – Ben Hopkins

“New Hampshire was a song that I was immediately smitten with when Ben sent me the demo in Winter 2014. Something wasn’t right when we recorded it in the original Ugly Cherries session, and much to my dismay we eventually scrapped it. I’m so glad it worked out this time around and other people get to hear it.” – Live Bruce