Crooks & Nannies Share First New Song in 5 Years

Crooks & Nannies, the West Philadelphia duo of Madel Rafter (they/them) & Sam Huntington (she/her), are sharing their first new music in 5 years to accompany the news that they have signed to Grand Jury Music.

"control" is an older song penned by Rafter that the band re-recorded earlier this year. The new single sees Rafter writing about their struggles with mental health issues and grappling with intrusive thoughts. Rafter has a penchant for making jokes out of the darkness they're experiencing, and on "control," this is on full display.

The track begins with Rafter's tender, cracking vocals eeking out the refrain "I wanna be in control." As the song builds to its climax, their vocals build stronger, eventually rising to meet the track's energy into a pleading scream, begging for control.

Crooks & Nannies will be heading on their first tour this fall, supporting Lucy Dacus, which begins with a hometown show on September 29th at Philadelphia's Franklin Music Hall.

Speaking to the single, Rafter writes;
"I wrote "control" in 2017 while struggling with consistent intrusive thoughts. I wanted to capture the feeling of walking through an art museum and holding all of your muscles tightly because if you don't, you might give into some crazy impulse and do something really really bad, like pull a painting off the wall and put your foot through it. The lyrics talk about wearing a mask for the world to conceal internal negative thoughts, and worrying about being 'bad to the bone' and ugly inside. On the facade, the song feels humorous, but I often use humor as a way to soften the blow of darker sentiments. Sonically, we took an approach that feels almost sing-songy at the top, but gets progressively more chaotic, fast, and emotionally blown out as the song progresses."

Crooks & Nannies is a collaboration between multi-instrumentalists and friends since high school. Their signature blend of brash, confessional indie rock functions on extremes. Alternating between painfully tender and jarringly obtuse, the childhood friends fashion themes of growth, loss, and transformation into off-kilter pop songs that whirr with the unpredictability of a failing engine.

Thematically, their songs tackle experiences with gender dysphoria, transitioning, anxiety, and finding a place as a 20-something in a world that feels utterly hostile. That search spills over into the music, too, a playground where each song's center of gravity seems unpredictable and fluid.

Musically the duo slams against the contours of modern emo & 90s college rock, toying with tropes of country songwriting while threading through elements of electronic music & avant-pop. In less capable hands, the amalgam could be dizzying. Here, Rafter & Huntington are in complete control.

Listen to the new single here:

Tour Dates

09/29 - Philadelphia, PA - Franklin Music Hall *
09/30 - New Haven, CT - College Street *
10/03 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre *
10/05 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre *
10/06 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall *
10/07 - Orlando, FL - Beacham Theatre *
10/08 - Miami Beach, FL - Miami Beach Bandshell *
10/10 - Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder *
10/12 - New Orleans, LA - Civic Theatre*
10/13 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn *
10/14 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall *
10/15 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern *
11/02 - New York, NY - Public Records ^
* w/Lucy Dacus
^ w/Rubblebucket

Grand Jury Music, founded in 2014, is an independent record label with offices in New York City & Richmond, VA. The label has recently released albums by Austin indie folk duo Hovvdy, Nashville songwriter Samia, Twin City indie pop rebels Hippo Campus, along with New York-based acts like genre-shapeshifter Jordana, kaleidoscopic indie pop weirdos Rubblebucket, & folk rock upstarts TOLEDO. Past releases include music from the Athens art-rock vehicle Mothers, LA dream pop project Day Wave, and Chicago garage legends Twin Peaks.

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