“Physical” By Molly Burch

"Physical" by Molly Burch is Northern Transmissions Song of the Day
Molly Burch photo by Tonje Thilesen

Molly Burch releases her new album Daydreamer on September 29th via Captured Tracks. Alongside the recent news, Burch has shared “Physical,” a dark and sultry ‘80s mid-tempo jam building off her reflective penmanship with open-hearted lyrics and gentle vocals. “Physical” is the first song Burch and producer Jack Tatum (Wild Nothing) worked on together, setting the tone for the rest of the record’s sound. The track is about Burch’s public struggles with PMS, but the lyrics can easily resonate more broadly.

The album news follows the announcement of Burch’s North American tour across 18 cities starting in the birthplace of her last three albums Austin, Texas and finishing in her hometown of Los Angeles with support from Christelle Bofale. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.

Having recently relocated to her hometown of Los Angeles, the beginnings of her latest album came together after Burch found her old diaries from age 13 and younger. Molly shares, “Growing up I was extremely shy and filled with self hatred. I would hide out in my bedroom to watch TV and daydream. I was so uncomfortable in my body and that was the age I started dealing with body dysmorphia, which later formed into an eating disorder. It was also the age I started realizing I could sing, and how badly I wanted to pursue that, but told myself I couldn’t,” Burch said, realizing how cruel she was to herself then, and how she still harbors many of those same self-critiques. It was this reflection that forced her to take responsibility for where she was currently at in life and to try to let go of old habits.

Burch adds, “I see myself as a daydreamer. Someone who uses their imagination to escape reality when sadness and longing begins. When I think of my most prominent daydreaming years, I see an insecure and introverted thirteen year old hiding out in her bedroom. I had a voice inside of my head spinning a web of negative self talk. But I equally gave space to my very big dreams which ultimately guided my career as a musician. During the pandemic, I started to lose sight of what aspects of my life brought me joy and what felt like going through the motions. I felt I was at the peak of letting external opinions fully dictate my self worth. So I examined my insecurities, the mean stories I would create about myself, and the body issues that had plagued me for too long. I decided, through songwriting, to look back at formative life moments, to connect with the reasons why I’ve dedicated my life to music and also try to heal old and still open wounds. This album is dedicated not only to my thirteen year-old self, but the thirteen year-old selves that still linger within all of us. It’s filled with bops and ballads & I’m so excited to share it with you.”

Daydreamer boasts a sharper, much cleaner production approach and a bit more pop than Burch’s previous records, thanks to producer Jack Tatum. Molly shares, “I had worked with Jack before on our co-written song ‘Emotion’ that we put out in 2020. When deciding who would produce Daydreamer I knew I wanted it to be Jack as soon as I started writing. We have similar taste and sensibilities and I look up to him so much.” There are Japanese city pop inspirations, horns, strings, and more ballads, with a throughline of Molly’s masterful, shimmering vocals taking center stage. The result is music that feels stirring and sweeping, pulling in sounds and influences of the past, while also propelling Burch into a further development of herself as an artist.

Molly Burch 2023 Tour Dates

09/29 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk Outside

09/30 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall – Upstairs

10/01 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada

10/03 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade – Purgatory

10/04 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement

10/06 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd

10/07 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s

10/09 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

10/11 – Ferndale, MI @ The Loving Touch

10/13 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village

10/14 – Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club

10/15 – Omaha, NE @ Slowdown

10/17 – Denver, CO @ Lost Lake Lounge

10/18 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court

10/20 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern

10/21 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios

10/23 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord

10/25 – Los Angeles, CA @ Highland Park Ebell

Pre-order Daydreamer by Molly Burch HERE

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