Soulful and smoldering, Love, DEAN’s groovy “Fool” is an intimate outpouring of raw self-reflection exploring our cracks and paving the way to self-love, humility, and acceptance.
Stream: “Fool” – Love, DEAN
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I wrote this as a self-prescription against trying to always present yourself as put together.
To be human is to be fallible; to be flawed, perfectly imperfect. It’s easy to say these words, so why is it so hard to accept and integrate them into our lives and day-to-day movements? Portland, Oregon duo Love, DEAN explore our cracks, insecurity and pride, authenticity and self-acceptance in their glistening, golden-toned debut single. Soulful and smoldering, the groovy “Fool” is an intimate outpouring of raw self-reflection.
It’s a powerful inner reckoning, and a radiant piece of indie soul pop serving as the perfect introduction to a band we can’t wait to hear more of in the months to come!
Burning time,
Looking in the mirror wishing I knew why
I still don’t know, why the more I try the less it shows
It’s dangerous, maybe it looks glamorous
I don’t have it all together,
And I’m so tired of tryin’
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Fool,” Love, DEAN’s first song release and the lead single off their forthcoming debut album. The wife and husband duo of Rachael and Luke Price (no relation to Lake Street Dive’s Rachael Price), Love, DEAN embrace a classic soul pop sound full of deep grooves, smoldering guitar licks, hearty beats, and soul-stirring vocals that send shivers down the spine. “With just two voices and an old electric hollow-body, they create music that is honest, timeless, yet uniquely new,” and nowhere is this better seen or felt than “Fool.”
Love, Dean’s introduction finds them dwelling in the depths of self, with Rachael Price spilling herself through hot-on-the-mic confessions and impassioned mirror-to-the-soul confrontations. She soars high in an anthemic, emphatic chorus:
I don’t wanna keep on faking
I want the truth
Honestly let’s face it
I’m not cool
I don’t don’t care to act my age
I’m a fool
“This song is one of those that we immediately loved after writing – perhaps one of the first songs we wrote for this record, but it also took the longest to fully realize,” Rachael tells Atwood Magazine. “It’s been a challenge to pin down our minds’ vision: Is it fast? Is it slow? Driving? Laid-back? There’s so much rhythm in there: Vishal Nayak’s (Nick Hakim, Empress Of) drums drive the tune in a special way along with the upright bass of Sebastian Steinberg (John Legend, Blake Mills), but Rachael’s laid-back vocal, and Luke’s guitar pull it back. Also easter-egg: Luke had to lay some tight swingin tamborine on this one! It has been so rewarding to hear this song come together. All the unique parts, musicians, and contributors have taken what we imagined, and pushed it past that, into music that is beyond what we hoped.”
“At the time of writing this song, I was starting to see one of my worst qualities under a microscope – pride,” she adds. “I was seeing how it had been taking from me, taking time, taking from people I loved, crushing key relationships and opportunities. I wrote this as a self-prescription against trying to always present yourself as put together.”
“The lyrics in the bridge of this song were a later addition; we wanted a reminder to not take ourselves too seriously. With the help of Margaret Glaspy on background vocals and Daniel Clarke on organ/wurlitzer, this section becomes a real party. This song is an invitation and reminder to ourselves that we can let go of our curated self-image. We’re hoping it gives others permission to do the same!”
When I was young, never thought to change for anyone
So unaware, what they thought or if they even cared
Now I’m grown, When did I get so scared of breakin’ bones
I don’t have it all together, and I’m so tired of trying
Honestly I’ve got to face it
I’m not cool so no more faking
Honestly I’ve got to face it
I’m not cool
Love, DEAN arrive today like a blast from the past and present all at once. Yes, their sound is vintage, but they are definitively of the present: A roaring 2020s blue-eyed soul band ready to gets us moving and in touch with our deepest emotions. They call their forthcoming album a love letter “from us to anyone who listens; we’re hoping the listener feels let into our lives… that they feel inspired to grow in their own lives and relationships. We leave space for grief, hardship and honesty but our target is encouragement and positivity in the midst of struggles.”
Love, connection, introspection, and coming-of-age themes lie in wait, but for now Love, DEAN have made a meaningful entrance with “Fool” – reminding us that imperfection is perfection; that we are allowed to grow into ourselves, and accept who we are for who we are. Independently out July 9th, this is one debut we’ll be playing on repeat this summer.
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:: stream/purchase LOVE, Dean here ::
Stream: “Fool” – Love, DEAN
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