Squirrel Flower Releases “Alley Light” Video

Squirrel Flower AKA: Ella Williams, is sharing her new single/video, “Alley Light,” from her forthcoming album, Tomorrow’s Fire, out 10/13

Squirrel Flower Photo Credit: Alexa Viscius

Squirrel Flower AKA: Ella Williams, is sharing her new single/video, “Alley Light,” from her forthcoming album, Tomorrow’s Fire, out October 13th on Polyvinyl. The accompanying “Alley Light” video — helmed by Weird Life Productions, and featuring the artwork and studio of Gwen Yen Chiu — sees Williams in the role of a scoundrel, abandoning her flame-resistant coveralls for a loose-fitting suit as she traverses late-night city streets.

Of the track, Williams adds: “This song is about the man in me, or a man who I love, or a man who is a stranger to me. The video references a neo-noir Chicago heist movie where they use this thermal metal contraption to cut into a safe. They run around the city making sparks fly and getting up to no good. I wanted to do all that.”

Following her 2021 LP, Planet (i), and its subsequent Planet EP, Squirrel Flower might’ve been labeled something like “indie folk”; but Tomorrow’s Fire is a rock record, made to be played loud. Its double lead single “When A Plant Is Dying” / “Full Time Job” — praised by Consequence as “grungy” and “mournful” — cemented this transition from acoustic tenderness to full-blown catharsis. Tomorrow’s Fire glides effortlessly over emotional states of being, lightness and heaviness, and cements Willaims’ status as one of indie rock’s finest songwriters.

Tomorrow’s Fire was produced by Williams herself at Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville alongside storied engineer Alex Farrar (Wednesday, Indigo de Souza, Snail Mail), and a studio band composed of Matt McCaughan (Bon Iver), Seth Kauffman (Angel Olsen band), Jake Lenderman (MJ Lenderman, Wednesday), and Dave Hartley (The War on Drugs). Its title references that of a novel Williams’ great-grandfather Jay wrote about a troubadour, named for a line by the Medieval French poet Rutebeuf, a troubadour himself: “Tomorrow’s hopes provide my dinner/ Tomorrow’s fire must warm tonight.” Centuries on, the quote spoke to Williams, who describes the fire as a tool to wield in the face of nihilism. Tomorrow’s Fire is what we take solace in, what we know will make us feel okay in the morning, how we light the path we’re walking on.

SQUIRREL FLOWER 2023 TOUR DATES

Thu. Aug. 24 – Chicago, IL @ Salt Shed $
Thu. Oct. 19 – Detroit, MI @ Lager House %
Fri. Oct. 20 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern %
Sat. Oct. 21 – Toronto, ON @ Monarch Tavern ~
Sun. Oct. 22 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Bottlerocket Social Hall ~
Tue. Oct. 24 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall &
Thu. Oct. 26 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom &
Fri. Oct. 27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Ukie Club %
Sat. Oct. 28 – Washington, DC @ DC9 &
Sat. Nov. 4 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade
Sun. Nov. 5 – Brighton, UK @ The Hope and Ruin
Mon. Nov. 6 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
Tue. Nov. 7 – Manchester, UK @ Gullivers
Thu. Nov. 9 – Edinburgh, UK @ Voodoo Rooms
Sat. Nov. 11 – London, UK @ Pitchfork Music Festival London – EartH (Downstairs)
Mon. Nov. 13 – Paris, FR @ Supersonic
Wed. Nov. 15 – Rotterdam, NL @ V11
Thu. Nov. 16 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique
Sat. Nov. 18 – Berlin, DE @ Lark
Sat. Jan. 20 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry ^
Sun. Jan. 21 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge ^
Tue. Jan. 23 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge ^
Thu. Jan. 25 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court ^
Fri. Jan. 26 – Boise, ID @ The Shredder ^
Sat. Jan. 27 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios ^
Mon. Jan. 29 – Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s
Wed. Jan. 31 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill ^
Fri. Feb. 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room *
Sat. Feb. 3 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room *
Sun. Feb. 4 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge *
Tue. Feb. 6 – Austin, TX @ The Ballroom ∞
Wed. Feb. 7 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada ∞
Thu. Feb. 8 – Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge ¢
Fri. Feb. 9 – St. Louis, MO @ Blueberry Hill Duck Room ¢
Sat. Feb. 10 – Nashville, TN @ Third Man Records – Blue Room ¢
Mon. Feb. 12 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade – Purgatory ¢
Wed. Feb. 14 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle – Back Room ¢
Thu. Feb. 15 – Richmond, VA @ The Camel ¢
Fri. Feb. 16 – Woodstock, NY @ Colony ¢
Sat. Feb. 17 – Amherst, MA @ The Drake ¢