Toronto-based songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and long-time Fast Romantics member Kirty releases the poignant, grungy, distortion-rich single, “God Help Us” and unveils its fiery and poetic accompanying video. Co-produced with long-time collaborator Josh Van Tassel and Fast Romantics bandmate/songwriting partner Matthew Angus, “God Help Us” had its Canadian radio premiere yesterday evening via The Strombo Show on CBC Radio. The melancholic track will appear on Kirty’s forthcoming solo album set for a release in summer 2021. Click HERE to listen and purchase.
With devastatingly heart-breaking lyrics like, “Broken minds screaming lies out of their hideout, dressed in fear they reappear and we’re all crying our eyes out, “God Help Us” was inspired by a number of tragic incidents the songwriter observed on the news one evening.
“God Help Us is a tiny window into my thoughts in moments where I’ve felt like I’m watching the world fall to pieces,” shares Kirty. “Witnessing a series of the most horrible things happening in the word, strung together in half an hour of television is an intense feeling, and we’re all absorbing this waterfall of information every single day.”
Kirty continues, “As the song reflects on some of these issues, it also sits on the mantra of “if there is a god, god help us” which to me is my surrendering statement to the chaos that’s swirling around me, but also touches on some larger questions and personal perspectives.”
Directed by Matthew Angus with art direction from Raven Shields, the video for “God Help Us” explores themes of fire and ice and places a spotlight on the internal struggle that many of us have felt over the course of the past year. “The video plays with themes of fire and ice (as the second verse references “burning through seasons of fire and snow”), and by the end of the video everything’s on fire. Not just on fire, but I’m there…watching everything burn,” explains Kirty “Isn’t that kind of how this year felt? Like you were just sitting there watching things burn?”
“There are moments when I feel like everything happening in the world seems so far away, and I’m left (for a moment) sitting there, hopeless, shocked, angry (etc.) at the lack of control and the impact of the damage. This song and video for me captures that moment. There are a lot of other reasons for the imagery, movements, and visuals of the video, but I’ll let people take what they need from it.”
“God Help Us” follows the dreamy, early 90s-inspired pop rock single “This Year’s Been Hell”. Although written before the pandemic hit, the aptly-titled tune resonated with both media and fans alike. ET Canada shared, “the coolest woman in the province has captured the melancholy, the morose, and yet the persistently melodic tone of 2020,” while New Jersey’s Come Here Floyd praised, “Purity in talent, glistens brightly in front of your eyes and shines to glorious effect.” Featuring Kirty’s lush, ethereal vocals, paired with moody guitars and warm, glassy retro synths, “This Year’s Been Hell” found support on marquee playlists like Spotify’sNew Music Friday Canada, Indie Playlist BIRP! and Indie to go, as well as, support from CBC radio.
Kirty’s forthcoming LP follows her 2016 acclaimed self-titled sophomore release which the Toronto Star dubbed “your new favourite thing” and the National Post praised “it makes a fine soundtrack for everything from a walk in the park to an evening under the stars… and fits right in on a playlist with the likes of Jenny Lewis, Lana Del Rey and Neko Case.” The release found success on CBC Radio’s Top 20 chart and garnered international placements in commercials and TV including landing lead single and one of CBC Music’s Songs You Need To Hear “That’s Not Me” on a global marketing campaign for EOS, as well as notable sync features in popular teen drama Riverdale and Canadian sitcom Kim’s Convenience.
About Kirty
For Toronto-based singer-songwriter Kirty, making records is the art of making time capsules of your own life. She’s been at it since she was a kid, growing up on a hobby farm outside of Orillia, Ontario. A middle child in a large musical family, from a young age she was taught the country, folk, and rock n‘ roll standards, sparking in her those natural, timeless kind of songwriting instincts that can only be cultivated from the pop songsmiths of the 20th century.
After making several homemade “time capsule” albums on her own, Kirty signed with Postwar Records in 2016 and released her first official album.
Around the same time, Kirty joined acclaimed indie-rock band Fast Romantics as a singer and multi-instrumentalist, and quickly became a core member, co-writing several songs for the group and touring internationally and relentlessly in the years that followed.
All of these experiences brought her to 2019, and after a whirlwind of new musical influences reached a climax, she began working on a new record of her own. Songs came fast and furious, marking in time her experiences on the road, the passing of close family members, and a growing relationship — both musical and romantic — with her Fast Romantics bandmate and songwriting partner Matthew Angus.
The pair teamed up with long-time Kirty collaborator Josh Van Tassel to round out a production team, and began work on recording the new songs, mixing her newfound affection for the sounds of 90s garage and synth-rock with more modern dream-pop influences.
Album details and further singles will be released in the first months of 2021.
