Tomberlin Announces New Album i don’t know who needs to hear this…, Shares Single
Photo by Michelle Yoon
Singer/songwriter Sarah Beth Tomberlin has announced her forthcoming album i don’t know who needs to hear this… (April 29 via Saddle Creek), her second full-length following her 2017 debut At Weddings and 2020 EP Projections with Alex G. She’s already shared what we now know is the album’s closing track, the beautiful “idkwntht,” and now she’s released another new track, “happy accident,” along with a video for the song directed by Ryan Schnackenberg.
Featuring Cass McCombs on guitar, Felix Walworth (Told Slant) on drums and album co-producer Philip Weinrobe on bass, “happy accident” pivots in a completely different direction from “idkwntht,” taking everything that made the latter track delicate, and shoving fuzzy guitars and layers of strained harmonies in its place. The result towers over the lingering not-quite-a-relationship Tomberlin sings about, honoring all the confusion and insecurity that comes with the situation. “I wanna burn it all down / Could I borrow a light? / And don’t you dare me to / I could leave in the night / And don’t you dare me to / ’Cause you know i could fly,” she demands, struggling in her restraints and knowing the enormity of the music around her also exists within her. It fits perfectly with what she describes in a press release as the “theme” of the record: “to examine, hold space, make an altar for the feelings.” By the time the track reaches its defiant conclusion (“I won’t quit / I’m no accident”), you want to kneel down at the altar and honor the experience with her.
In the same statement, Tomberlin talked about the inspiration behind “happy accident”:
“happy accident” is a song about relational obscurity. Trying to sort out who you are or who you were to someone. Is this relationship romantic or is it just sex? Do you want to spend time with me or are you just bored? Do I make my own decisions that are good for me or are my decisions predominantly based on what I think you might want or need? I was kind of walking through moments in previous relationships in my life. I wanna know why someone wants to get to know me. Do you want to know me or just your idea of me? Do I want to know you or just my idea of you?
Adding onto the list of announcements, Tomberlin has also shared a list of North American and UK/EU tour dates, kicking off in Paris in April with a string of solo performances. She’ll be joined by a full touring band for the tour’s North American leg, beginning in Somerville, Massachusetts, in May and working her way across the country and back to close the tour in Brooklyn.
Check out the video for “happy accident” below, and keep scrolling for Tomberlin’s 2018 Paste Studio session, the details of i don’t know who needs to hear this… and a full list of tour dates. You can preorder the album here.
