Happy Wednesday, Wednesday are back! Not a moment too soon, the North Carolina band have shared their first piece of new original music since Rat Saw God, the Best Album Of 2023. It's an expectedly-great single called "Elderberry Wine."
"Elderberry Wine" drops the shoegazey noise of previous Wednesday records, veering more towards their country side with a heavy dose of pedal steel and twangy vocal harmonies. What's stayed the same, however, is Karly Hartzman's penchant for uncannily-heartwarming lyrics: "Say I wanna have your baby/ 'Cause I freckle and you tan/ I find comfort that angels don’t give a damn." She explains in a press release:
"Elderberry Wine" is about the potential for sweet things in life (love, family, success) to become poison if not prepared for and attended to correctly. Elderberry is known as a healing fruit, and is an ingredient in many tonics and syrups to aid the immune system. One time however, my sister consumed them raw and it immediately induced vomiting. So "Elderberry Wine" is ultimately a love song about creating just the right environment for fulfillment. There's a delicate balance that needs to be created, especially in love, for two lives to intersect without poisoning each other.
Hartzman said in an interview earlier this year that a lot of the songs on Wednesday's next album were written about her bandmate and ex-boyfriend MJ Lenderman, who will no longer be touring with them. But he's still part of the band as far as studio recordings go; you can also see him in the "Elderberry Wine" video.
The clip stars Hartzman on the job as a bartender, turning on the TV behind her to reveal a Wednesday performance. Speaking of: Wednesday are also making their TV debut on Colbert tonight. But first, listen to "Elderberry Wine" and see director Spencer Kelly's video below.
