It’s been almost four years since Stevie Knipe aka Adult Mom‘s breakout album Soft Spots, but we now have news of the follow-up: it’s called Driver and is coming out on March 5 through Epitaph.
The announcement brings with it a new song called “Sober”, perhaps the most sonically clear song yet from Adult Mom – but the lyrics and themes bear their signature realness. Over crystalline synth chords and simple programmed drums, Knipe reflects on a relationship that went sour. While they are not sparing in the harsh reflections of their former partner, they don’t spare themselves from being cut down to size either: “the only thing that I’ve done is drink beer and masturbate and ignore phone calls from you / what else am I supposed to do?” Upbeat bass and guitar slide in, accompanied by silvery melodies to create an outright pop backing – but they belie the rawness of what Knipe is singing about.
Recalling the couple’s final fights, in the chorus they sweetly sing “the last image of you I remember / is your hunched over back on the side of the bed / telling me I shouldn’t leave,” which switches the second time around to “the last image of me you remember / is my hunched over back on the driver’s side / begging you to get out when you wanted to die.” Compelling in the way that it combines bright melodies with the most visceral of awful feelings, “Sober” is a song that continually confounds on repeat plays – but at least has a surprisingly happy ending.
Listen to “Sober” on streaming platforms or watch the video below.
Adult Mom’s new album Driver comes out on March 5 through Epitaph. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
