Song Review: Stacy by Hotspit
The sound of Hotspit has always been a compelling force. It’s cerebral, yet deeply emotional, pulling back the layers of fractured existences and imperfect connections in a way that’s cathartic yet still haunting. The type of clarity you gain from listening to their music can linger for months, years even, guiding you through tricky dilemmas but also inspecting harmless occasions. Lyrical phrases become contemporary proverbs, guitar hooks become welcome earworms, and the spacious sounds become an intimate home, all of which rings true on the band’s latest single, “Stacy.”
Opening with a sparse guitar strum, the band instantly sets the stage for a place of quiet reflection. “Wet tire tracks make me think of car accidents and I’m feeling kind of low down,” Avery Fogarty croons, alluding to the idea of emotional wreckage while casting a somber semblance around the proceedings. Without changing pitch though, the next line brings across a potent lyrical jab, masked in melodic snark that helps illustrate the meaning of the song before the next line bares it for the world: “I love you but you don’t know me now and I’m feeling kind of low \ low down.”
After that, the full band kicks in with a relaxed cadence that carries conviction with each beat. Kevin Ganley’s guitar explores the space created by grief and resentment with a simple twinkling line that flickers in the background of a dimly lit alcove, briefly illuminating sections of the landscape in a way that reveals its intimate structure. The pensive vocal line carries on, undisturbed, as the lyrics drift into a peculiar hypothetical before landing on an incisive line that showcases a heavy revelation (“I can’t help but blow up your phone \ When I’m feeling all alone \ Cuz loving makes me lazy“).
From there, the intensity of the song begins to rise, both musically and lyrically as the next verse contends with memories of rapture that lead into regret and bargaining, which opens up into the first strong melodic moment of the song. Here, Ganley’s guitar offers a simple yet expressive solo that zeroes in on the anguish with exhilarating precision. As the emotional crescendo peaks, the sonic space briefly shrinks back into its opening observation, priming itself for the next jumping-off spot ahead in the runtime.
The memories get briefly paused next as Fogarty addresses neighborly annoyance in a way that still speaks to the longing for connection (“I wonder how it is \ To be so fucking happy \ That I’m waking up the neighbors \ I’m waking up the neighbors“). Escape comes next, but even that provides no solace as a brief distraction points to stinging aches (“I’m smoking cigarettes on my balcony in furs \ But breathing hurts \ Breathing hurts“).
Just like the last succinct declaration, this line leads to the next musical eruption, where the guitar continues its emphatic release from before with animated exactness and piercing tone. After its peak, the opening lyrical refrain reappears, returning the song back to that secluded nook where the emotional wreckage is still bare. More easily discernable this time around, it doesn’t make its contents less affecting or jarring. We can’t change what’s happened, but hopefully, we can prevent it from occurring again in another fashion.
The way the band uses hazy narratives to uncover and explore these bitter epiphanies has always been a strong suit of Hotspit, adding to the allure of their music which makes your own flaws seem more pronounced yet more easily manageable. Less of a rewarding therapy session and more of an intimate reckoning, “Stacy” is a song that healthily encourages fixation, airing personal grievances alongside errant thoughts in a way that helps lighten the heavy emotional load. It’s a slowburn musical thrill that is a compelling addition to their catalog which continues to probe the complexities of the human condition with comfort and will, inviting listeners to explore their own emotional landscapes with courage and insight.
“Stacy” is out now on all streaming platforms. Make sure to stay up-to-date on upcoming concerts and other news from Hotspit by following them on social media.
You can catch Hotspit in concert next on Saturday, September 23rd alongside Drook, Rikki Rakki, and Strawberry Moon for The Auricular‘s 5th Anniversary Celebration at Richmond Music Hall. You can purchase tickets now at this link and for more information, click this link or check out the show flyer below.
