TORRES Shares Second Thirstier Single, “Hug from a Dinosaur”

Mackenzie Scott’s rock project TORRES has shared another new song ahead of her forthcoming album Thirstier, coming July 30 on Merge Records. Her fifth studio LP and second for Merge, as evidenced by both lead single “Don’t Go Puttin Wishes in My Head” and today’s (June 16) “Hug from a Dinosaur,” is shaping up to be the boldest and brightest entry in Scott’s catalog.

“Hug from a Dinosaur” is an impressive feat of songwriting, connecting epochs-old metaphysical phenomena to a simple act of domestic love: “The title emerged from a dream I had. The song’s theme is that truth is eternal, and it’s also about never stopping,” Scott explains in a statement. “To bring it back down to earth, the song’s also about being ready to drop everything to do something essential for someone you love. In this instance, it’s bringing my girlfriend [visual artist Jenna Gribbon] lunch so she can keep painting.”

Scott juggles these seemingly disparate ideas over brawny power chords and a deviously catchy synth line, making space for intimacy and extravagance alike. “What comprises all this joy I feel and where was it before?” she sings with wonder. “Ancient and eternal and surreal as a hug from a dinosaur.” It’s a radically joyful rocker brimming with earnest affection, as well as a deceptively thoughtful examination of what matters most on this mortal coil (“Time and money aren’t real and empathy is God,” Scott prophesies over the buzzy, drum machine-driven breakdown).

Thirstier follows TORRES’ 2019 album Silver Tongue. We lauded its lead single “Don’t Go Puttin’ Wishes in My Head” as one of May’s best songs.

Watch the “Hug from a Dinosaur” video (edited by Areeb Tariq) and revisit TORRES’ 2015 Paste session below. You can find her 2021/2022 tour dates further down and preorder Thirstier right here.