July Talk – Governess Shadow
Toronto alt-rock group July Talk recently announced their third studio album Pray For It will be out on July 10th. The first release in over four years, Pray For It focuses on the theme of breaking patterns and habits, using their striking and signature sound to propel their message forward.
From their release is the second single “Governess Shadow”, a fiery, dance-rock tune written about co-frontman Peter Dreimanis’ great-grandmother and her sisters:
“This song is about my great-grandmother Alice and her two sisters Marie and Anna, who were sent to finishing school in Moscow as teenagers to learn how to serve the wealthy families of the day. It’s also about the deep imbalances of power in our world, and specifically how people are separated by wealth and gender. I started thinking about this giant shadow that white men can step in and out of whenever it suits us. How we can simply decide when to break the rules and when to recite them. I wanted “Governess Shadow” to raise a flag and a dagger and call out that comfortable complacency.”
The imbalance he speaks about is mirrored in the song’s commanding new music video. Using old fashion magazine clippings and advertisements from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, the music video brings to light the misogyny of the past that isn’t as outdated as one would expect.
Naturally, “Governess Shadow” has July Talk punching each note with their familiar high and low see-saw vocals and gritty alt-rock spirit, this time incorporating West Coast flare on the hooks and dive-bar dance rock underneath.
“Governess Shadow” is now my favourite July Talk song.
Enjoy the music video below and head to their website to pre-order Pray For It.
You can hear “Governess Shadow” and more on our Monthly Spotify playlist.
As well, enjoy a Live From Isolation version of the album’s lead single “Pay For It”:
