Singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine dropped a new song, “Pushing it Down and Praying,” Friday as part of her announcement of the deluxe edition of her album Older.
The new deluxe album, titled Older (and Wiser), is set to contain five new tracks and is slated to release Oct. 4. McAlpine wrote on social media that the majority of the new songs were recorded in just four days at Electric Lady Studios between legs of her most recent tour.
”Pushing it Down and Praying” expands on the sound of the original album, which was released in April, by effectively combining the styles explored on McAlpine’s first two records.
The song starts out as a melancholic acoustic track reminiscent of her debut Give Me a Minute, before fully emerging as a soft rock tune like those found on her breakthrough record five seconds flat. The drums are impactful while leaving space for the harder-sounding electric guitar and sweeter-sounding harmonies to meaningfully clash in the mix.
Similar to the sonic approach, the lyrics tread ground that has been explored before in previous songs. Here, McAlpine deals with her past relationship experiences getting in the way of her ability to enjoy being with someone new. This time, it interrupts even the most intimate moments, as she cannot avoid picturing her ex instead of her current partner.
In the chorus, she wants to feel guilty about feeling this way but finds herself unable to. She acknowledges she is living out a tried and true trope sometimes seen in romantic movies; while her current partner offers stability, he does not share a deep connection with her as her ex did. As the song ends, she resigns herself to suppressing these emotions from her partner.
”Pushing it Down and Praying” continues to pave Lizzy McAlpine’s path of self-aware songwriting, suggesting that future releases will show her baring even more of her soul.
