Will Hansen’s Old Pup: ‘Spider Towns’ | A Journey Through the Absurd and the Ordinary
Exclusive album premiere of ‘Spider Towns,’ the latest release from the warmly haunted folk project Old Pup, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
‘Spider Towns,’ the sophomore album from Old Pup, is a reflection on the absurdity and beauty of everyday life. Led by Milwaukee-based Will Hansen, the album blends ethereal, country-tinged folk with experimental touches, recorded across living rooms, warehouse hallways, and wide-open fields in Milwaukee, New Orleans, and New Mexico.
Hansen’s lyrics traverse the mundane and the cosmic with a unique blend of humor and existential reflection. With a sound that stretches from intimate, lo-fi recordings to expansive, atmospheric moments, ‘Spider Towns’ captures the delicate balance between the ordinary and the extraordinary. It’s a rich, poetic journey that feels deeply personal yet universally resonant.
Spider Towns takes listeners through the quirky, introspective world of Old Pup. The album opens with its title track, a sepia-toned meditation on the absurdities of everyday life, filled with vivid images and a nod to the late David Berman. ‘Stalactites’ explores modernity and mortality with minimal arrangements, while ‘Bee’ captures the spontaneity of New Orleans, reflecting on self-sabotage in an unexpectedly light way. ‘House of Wind’ weaves wide-open landscapes with surreal lyrics, while ‘Character Study: Inflatable Dancer’ takes a playful look at America’s advertising culture through a blend of experimental percussion and sampled ads. ‘Butter’ showcases the warmth of live recording, while ‘Tomorrow’s Tape’ adds garage textures to the mix, diving into mortality with humble wisdom. The album’s closer, ‘Sweet Dreams (When You Get There),’ wraps things up with a comforting, almost Lynchian lullaby. ‘Spider Towns’ balances humor and melancholy with intimate, haunting charm.
Headline photo: Tommy Moore
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