Vicky Farewell takes us track-by-track through her enchanting sophomore album ‘Give a Damn,’ a wet hot summery seduction of soulful, sun-kissed indie pop that hits like a sweet summer rain.
Stream: “Tern Me On” – Vicky Farewell
There was no vision; I was just writing horny songs.
Like a summer rain, Vicky Farewell’s sophomore album is short n’ sweet, sunny and stormy – lingering on the mind long after the music ends and the clouds have cleared.
Because while she drenches our ears in lush, radiant sound, she soaks us to the bone with intimate expressions of passion and longing, connection and release. Even at her most vulnerable, she can (and does) capture our hearts: A wet hot summery seduction, Give a Damn stuns, soothes, and stirs through a heavy dose of soulful, sun-kissed indie pop.
This Vicky Farewell’s sweet surrender: An unfiltered, unapologetically raw look at her truest self, set to one of the richest, spiritually revitalizing soundtracks we’ve heard all year.
What can I say?
We had our fun,
what little was left of the run
Can you tell it felt so real?
After today, we part ways
Never to remain the same
You’ve opened my eyes
It’s all surreal
‘Cause you turn me on
From morning into the dawn
You give it to me all night long
And now it’s all far gone
Then you came along
You nail me on and on
I took what I could bear
Tell me there’s something there
– “Tern Me On,” Vicky Farewell
Released May 10, 2024 via Mac’s Record Label (owned by Mac DeMarco), Give a Damn is the warmest, most wondrous cathartic upheaval you’ve ever experienced. The second album from Orange County, California-based artist and producer Vicky Farewell (née Vicky Nguyen) arrives just two years after her dazzling debut album Sweet Company first introduced us to her intoxicating, free-flowing artistry: “Sweet Company holds true to its name as a lush, dazzling, and immersive soundtrack to inner connection,” Atwood Magazine wrote in our 2022 album feature. “It’s a record that pulls back the covers on isolation and solitude; rather than dwell in lonely depths, Farewell instead basks in the beauty, joy, and tranquility of being alone, in the company of one.”
Whereas Sweet Company was a record about loving yourself, coping with life’s lows, and finding comfort in silence, Give a Damn unpacks and explores what it means to love outwardly; to be with and long for others; to languish in heartache and bask in the glow of physical and emotional connection. It’s another deeply intimate offering from Vicky Nguyen – a sought-after multi-hyphenate force in the music industry, whose impressive resume includes work with Mac DeMarco, Mild High Club, Anderson .Paak, and more – and one that, like her debut album, was entirely self-written and produced from her Los Angeles apartment.
“I wrote and recorded Give a Damn at my old apartment in LA where I also made Sweet Company,” the artist tells Atwood Magazine. “I feel like Give a Damn is a post-pandemic record where Pandora’s box got reopened and we all collectively fell into some shit. Back to socializing in person and meeting new people again meant more connection and drama. Life eventually caught up to me until I couldn’t stop pretending anymore and fell into a deep depression. An extremely painful lesson that I had no choice but to turn into art.
“There was no vision; I was just writing horny songs,” she smiles. “I don’t think any artist should have a vision. We never know what we want at first – things tend to come together as we’re deep into the work. And it’s like magic every time.”
That said, she adds that she “wanted to stay away from the bubblegum pop vibe of Sweet Company, and instead write an album that was more serious in tone, abstract, and sexually provocative. I was kinda channeling Prince here, but with MJ harmonies. Unlike the previous record, I wanted this one to be more vulnerable.”
I needed to embrace vulnerability in order to meet my deeper self. These songs came from a real place.
Nguyen describes Give a Damn as a record about sex, synths, and space.
“I went over the lyrics to each song and settled on the words ‘give a damn’ from ‘Semi Auto,’” she says with regard to the album title. “I really love this song. I think it’s my most introspective work to date, and I really wanted this album to be just that.”
Moments of musical wonder and emotional release abound on the twenty-five minute journey from “Intro (Remember Me)” to “Always There,” with standout songs like “Textbook,” “Tern Me On,” “Semi Auto,” and “Make Me” highlighting Nguyen’s prowess as an emotionally charged vocalist, a harmony-minded producer and arranger, a storytelling lyricist, and a nuanced, evocative pianist. Her heart, soul, and performance are all in alignment on these songs as she pours herself into every part of the performance, shining bright even as she dwells in life’s darker, more turbulent emotions.
“I think ‘Tern Me On’ is a classic,” she says of the album’s enchanting lead single. “I wrote this song almost 3 years ago and I still love it. ‘Semi Auto’ is a B-side banger. It doesn’t follow the conventions of a hit song by any means, but I love it for its thoughtfulness and unique style.”
“I really like the lyrics for ‘Push It’ – ‘Stuck in his old ass ways, old ass thinking getting lost for days’ hits every time,” she adds.
Packed with passion and drenched in dreamy melodies, Give a Damn aches, glistens, and glows as Vicky Farewell beckons us deeper into her world, sharing her innermost sanctum with all who care to come along for the ride
“I hope everyone who hears my record can appreciate the musicality and work it took to write and produce my own record,” Vicky Farewell shares. “Because damn, I worked my ass off and it’s still just the beginning. I’m not getting handed very many things, so I’m learning to not let it set me back and to pick myself up when my expectations don’t work out.”
Experience the full record via our below stream, and peek inside Vicky Farewell’s Give a Damn with Atwood Magazine as she takes us track-by-track through the music and lyrics of her sophomore album!
Give a Damn is out now on Mac’s Record Label!
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:: stream/purchase Give a Damn here ::
:: connect with Vicky Farewell here ::
Stream: ‘Give a Damn’ – Vicky Farewell
:: Inside Give a Damn ::
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Intro (Remember Me)
This was the last track that I finished at the buzzer. Originally, I had written a different instrumental intro that was more of a loop and less musical overall. I wrote this on my couch in the middle of the night, in my emotional bag for sure. I recorded a scratch take in one pass and the blueprint was all there. I like that it was in the moment and a bit through-composed, which makes it more real.
Semi Auto
A song about cognitive dissonance, internal conflicts, losing your center to the intrusive voices in your head and the voices of the company around you. The melodic motif reoccurs throughout the song like a pendulum, pushing and pulling between vulnerability and stability. Is there an in between or am I always going from one extreme to the next?
Make Me
I wanted to write a playful song about sex, poking fun at past experiences. I had written the chord progression a couple years earlier and saved it in my back pocket for the right time. Musically, it didn’t give me a sexual vibe until I started experimenting with the lyrics. I caught a wave and just started having fun with it. My friend Ryan Hawkins loaned me his Korg MonoPoly and I took full advantage of it for the synth solo. I absolutely love how the portamento came out, just perfect for the song.
Push It
I was going for my own twisted version of the Jeopardy theme song on this one. I wanted to express my frustration about becoming stagnant, about being set in your ways and refusing change. Sometimes, we are faced with the heartbreaking reality that you simply can’t take everyone along with you, and that there’s nothing else to do but to move on and leave.
Textbook
This song starts out sweet and head-over-heels until halfway through, things start to rapidly decline. I didn’t originally intend on having this track on the record. I had shared a clip of it on my IG story one day and there was a lot of love for it. I got inspired to finish the song, and am glad I did, it fits in the album well.
Isn’t It Strange
A short song/interlude about chance encounters.
Tern Me On
My baby, I love this song so much. I know we shouldn’t get attached to things, but f* it this is the one. Everything about this song makes sense to me. It encapsulates what I was going through at the time and I look back on it fondly.
Luxury Hellscape
A bright, happy-go-lucky loop with dark lyrics. Each repeat introduces a new layer of taunting. It’s not a happy outlook on life, but I think these brief feelings of dread are still valid.
Love Ya Like Me
This song is a mixture of my love for my dog, for myself, and for past lovers. I’ve always had a hard time learning to treat myself better. This was a way for me to unlearn years of self deprecation and relearn how to speak to myself with compassion. I really love the ending. I had always wanted to write a switch up/jam out section that’s not too jammy and self-indulgent, something that’s effortlessly smooth. I also sang with more support here instead of my usual sweet lil Disney princess voice.
Always There
What can I say, I’m a loyal gal. Sweet and pure. I wanted to end the album on this note.
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:: stream/purchase Give a Damn here ::
:: connect with Vicky Farewell here ::
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© Robb Klassen
© Robb KlassenGive a Damn
an album by Vicky Farewell
