An intimate indie pop confessional, Babe Club’s “That Feeling” dwells in “adulthood-induced depression” as the band resolve to take the reigns and live the lives they want to lead, rather than the ones they’ve fallen into.
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Stream: “That Feeling” – Babe Club
Everyone has their respective childhood “good old days”: A time of innocence and carefree bliss, when our younger selves lived unencumbered by worry, regret, fear, and doubt; when we had the luxury of focusing our energy and attention squarely on the present. Charleston band Babe Club’s latest single is a lament of that inevitable loss of innocence, coupled with a personal commitment to maintain some youthful wonder and verve in our adult lives: An intimate indie pop confessional, “That Feeling” dwells in “adulthood-induced depression” as Babe Club resolve to take the reigns and live the lives they want to lead, rather than the ones they’ve fallen into.
It’s a (bitter)sweet call to WAKE UP! – to stop waiting and seize the day, because “it’s never ever gonna get better”… especially if we keep waiting for our lives to change, without doing something about it.
I used to be brave when I was young
Until I saw my shadow
Thought it was my bad vision
Shut my eyes tight the whole night
Now I’m feeling lost inside my brain
It’s playing wicked games
I’m about to hangup
Call you back later
I don’t know why I’ve been running high on autopilot
Independently release October 29, 2021, “That Feeling” is as melancholic as it is hopeful: A radiant rise from our own depths, driven by sheer willpower, to do and be better than we are right now. It’s a radiant and emotional second offering of the year from Babe Club, whose tender March release “Back to Yesterday” marked their first single since last November’s debut EP Remember This Feeling helped put them on our radar.
In featuring the group’s EP last year, Atwood Magazine praised Babe Club for lighting up the airwaves with “an effervescent alt-pop/indie rock upheaval that blends the catchy with the cutting, the stunning with the stirring.” Comprised of lead vocalist/songwriter Jenna Desmond, Corey Campbell (form. Susto), and Meg Ha, Babe Club blend an array of decades-spanning influences that range from ’70s new wave to ’90s alt pop and beyond. Sonically reminiscent of indie pop contemporaries like Tennis, Molly Burch, and Alvvays – with soaring vocals, moody beats, and a touching mix of synths, pianos, and guitars – “That Feeling” shows off Babe Club’s softer side. Jenna Desmond’s vocals take center stage as she sings her story – one filled with nostalgia for the past and uncertainty about the future. The song’s chorus marks a particularly moving moment, where conviction and strength overrides wallowing in sadness and the narrator decides to do something about their present state:
If I keep waiting for these changes
It’s never ever gonna get better
But I’ll try to remember that feeling
Desmond’s voice glistens with deep feeling as she bares herself in music, allowing those darker parts of the self to come out. “‘That Feeling’ is about adulthood induced depression,” she tells Atwood Magazine. “When you land in it, realize you’re all alone, and you’re not naïve anymore.”
Extra time at home during the pandemic gave Desmond the chance to self-reflect on her younger self; this song is a result of some of that introspection. “[It’s] about missing your inner child,” she says. “It’s about me during the pandemic, and before the pandemic in general. The person I knew as myself was not as adventurous, not willing to try new things or explore. Fear of failure, anxiety, and depression, or adulthood pressure. The magic of trust and being naïve was stunted by the things that hurt me or scared me. I suddenly felt less brave than when I was a kid. Remember when we used to believe in things like Magic 8 balls, horoscopes, fortune telling machines, and superstitions? I used to read a horoscope book to tell me about my love life and it encouraged me to go out in the world and try new things and maybe get hurt. At least I was feeling back then. It gets boring when I try to predict what will happen. Leave it up to the magic 8 ball. Leave it up to the stars —or whatever that is for you—and let some crazy shit happen.”
“This song meant a lot to me because we did it over a zoom with people we knew nothing about,” she adds. “It just brought me to the core of why I love music. It’s all about human connections and coming face to face with your emotions, confidences, and insecurities. It makes me feel alive – and I can’t just keep waiting around for life to show up; I’ve got to figure out a way to go out and live.”
I can’t just keep waiting around for life to show up; I’ve got to figure out a way to go out and live
Remember when the weekend meant something
now the days blur together
Am i ever gonna feel again?
Shake a magic 8 ball
Try again later.
If I keep waiting for these changes
it’s never ever gonna get better
but i’ll try to remember that feeling.
“That Feeling” reminds us of our roots, our dreams, and our sense of self. It’s a vessel of self-expression that holds a vivid mirror up, imploring us to examine the face we see staring back at us: Is that who we want to be? Are we who we want to be?
Whether we take such a deep dive into Babe Club’s lyrical sentiments, or embrace this ruminating ballad for its elegant, cathartic sonics, “That Feeling” promises to leave us a little better off than we were when we first pressed play. Listen to the new single below, and stay tuned for more from this exciting group!
I don’t know why I’ve been running high on autopilot…
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:: stream/purchase “That Feeling” here ::
Stream: “That Feeling” – Babe Club
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