Caleb Nichols - She Is Not Your Shadow - EP Out

On the heels of their latest Kill Rock Stars EP, Chan Says & Other Songs, Caleb Nichols returns with She Is Not Your Shadow, a four song collection of tight, hooky, infectious indie-pop. Blending the sounds of early 00’s indie rock and, at times, 90’s brit pop, Nichols’ latest compositions sparkle and shimmer, and might remind listeners of early Wilco, the Shins, Belle & Sebastian, and even Blur. Thematically, the EP addresses the complexity of queer desire— from the burning refrain of “Waylaid” in which Nichols sings “I want to be tame/ but also wander/ burst into flame/ but I’m so fond of/ you calling my name” to the night-blooming alt-rock of “Night Song”, a document of summer-soaked queer joy, these are songs brimming with emotion and feeling. “Shadow Step” continues Nichols’ exploration of gender via the character Chan, in a 5 minute conversation between what feels like two old friends. “If I let you drive,” Nichols sings, “would you let me ride/ beside you? You know you’re my ride or die/ and we’ve got so much time.” Finally, in EP-closer “Idiot”, Nichols belts out a walloping, jazz-infused chorus, heavy with what could be self-loathing, or maybe something more adjacent to FOMO: “Idiot/ it’s what you wanted/ see them shadow on the wall/ having a ball.” 

>>> Listen to the EP <<<