London four-piece Dry Cleaning released “Unsmart Lady” on Tuesday, the band’s third single ahead of their debut album New Long Leg, out April 2 via 4AD. The song follows previous releases “Strong Feeling” and “Scratchard Lanyard,” one of Paste’s Top Songs of 2020.
“Unsmart Lady” opens with a clattering cacophony of wailing guitar and drums before leaning back into a steady blend of post-punk and psychedelia. Vocalist Florence Shaw’s drawling monotony swims on top of the band’s high-energy, fuzzy distortions for a sound both dark and unmistakably cool. The music video for “Unsmart Lady,” directed by Tilly Shiner, shows an aesthetically grainy performance by the band in a carpet shop in south London.
Shaw spoke of the song’s lyrics in a statement:
“Fat podgy, non make-up”—I was thinking about these things that are supposed to be a source of shame about your appearance and wanting to use them in a powerful way. Just trying to survive when you feel knackered and put-upon and shit about yourself, but you say, “I don’t care what I’m supposed to be.”
Watch the video for Dry Cleaning’s “Unsmart Lady” below. You can preorder New Long Leg here.
