Portland psych-surf quartet The Shivas released “Undone” today, the introspective second single from Feels So Good // Feels So Bad, out September 24 via Tender Loving Empire. FLOOD premiered the video of what they called the “tunneling psych-pop single.” “Undone” is written and sung by drummer Kristin Leonard as an homage to the times in our life when we rebound from periods of darkness to states of exuberance that easily go too far into the realm of darkness all over again.
“Sometimes we get carried away by enjoyment and overdo it,” says Leonard. “Life’s about finding balance. But in order to find that balance, some healthy reflection and acceptance about where we’ve been are necessary to push us forward with love and wisdom on our journey. So ‘Undone’ is me reflecting on those aspects of myself. And I think most of us can relate.”
The video for “Undone” was shot by Claude Cardenas, AKA Yr First Crush. “Claude had mentioned an idea that worked around a jukebox in a bar with someone singing along kind of like karaoke,” continues Leonard. “We thought it fit well with this song as there was plenty of room to mirror the increasingly erratic behavior of the story into the acting and dancing in the video. It also worked out well that we knew just the location to use – our friend Emily’s bar The Lift Off; it had a slick kind of psychedelic decor complete with Claude’s requisite jukebox. Emily was very receptive to the idea and let us come in on a closed day in order to shoot. She was so kind as to even step in to co-star as ‘The bartender’ who 86’d me at the end.”
The Shivas utilized their time off from touring in 2020 to record Feels So Good // Feels So Bad with Cameron Spies, who also produced 2019’s Dark Thoughts. Feels So Good // Feels So Bad wasn’t written or recorded with a particular theme in mind, but one seemed to have emerged: where Dark Thoughts was about confronting your demons with fearless self-examination, much of Feels So Good // Feels So Bad is about what happens once you find that peace and how being honest with yourself, changes your relationships and priorities. “I do think it’s about acceptance,” says Leonard. “There’s a weird relaxation that comes with being at peace with things you can’t control or have regrets about.”
Feels So Good // Feels So Bad is an album about acceptance. Sometimes that acceptance feels enlightened and sometimes it feels like the end result of a lot of kicking and screaming. The Shivas have adapted in both of those ways. With new tours scheduled and a new album on the way, they’re still hoping–like all of us–for a new era of vibrant, cathartic live music. The lessons they learned from having their normal upended, though, have only helped them grow.
The Shivas Tour Dates:
Aug 12 – Boise, ID – Idaho Botanical Gardens
Aug 13 – La Grande, OR – HQ
Aug 14 – Boise, ID – Kin
Aug 15 – Boise, ID – Kin
Sep 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
Sep 22-25 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Fest
Sep 27 – Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pub
Sep 28 – Redding, CA – The Dip
Sep 29 – San Francisco, CA – DNA Lounge
Oct 02 – Reno, NV – Offbeat Music Fest
Oct 07 – Chicago, IL – Sleeping Village
Oct 08 – Indianapolis, IN – Square Cat Vinyl
Oct 10 – Louisville, KT – Zanzabar
Oct 11 – Huntington, WV – The Loud
Oct 20 – Brooklyn, NY – TV Eye
Oct 23 – Richmond, VA – Fuzzy Cactus
Oct 26 – Charlotte, NC – Snug Harbor
Oct 27 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
Nov 02 – Tallahassee, FL – The Bark
Nov 14 – Seattle, WA – Freakout Fest
Dec 11 – Guadalajara, MX – C3
Dec 18 – Mexico City, MX – Monkeybee Festival
