Wallsocket
A digital image of a giant horseshoe suspended on the front of metal scaffolding.
Studio album by
Underscores
ReleasedSeptember 22, 2023 (2023-09-22)
Genre
Length54:55
Label
Producer
Underscores chronology
Boneyard AKA Fearmonger
(2021)		 Wallsocket
(2023)
Singles from Wallsocket
  1. "Cops and Robbers"
    Released: May 3, 2023
  2. "You Don't Even Know Who I Am"
    Released: June 7, 2023
  3. "Locals (Girls Like Us)"
    Released: July 12, 2023
  4. "Old Money Bitch"
    Released: August 16, 2023

Wallsocket is the second studio album by American musician Underscores. It was released via Mom + Pop Music and Corporate Rockmusic on September 22, 2023. The album is a concept album that centers around three girls in the fictional town of Wallsocket, Michigan.

Background

In an interview with NME, Underscores stated that she "wanted [Wallsocket] to be super big, wide and ambitious." In discussing the worldbuilding element of the album, she explained that "the whole ambition for the album was to draw people into this world I have in my head." However, Underscores also cited personal inspiration for the album, saying that "All the songs are there because I had something I wanted to figure out about myself, or things that have happened. It's a laundry list of things I wish I'd wrestled with five years earlier when I first left home."[2]

In an interview with Flood Magazine, Underscores cited Sufjan Stevens, The Raconteurs, Beck, Imogen Heap, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Van Morrison, Sky Ferreira, Jason Isbell, Kwon Jin-ah, and Gillian Welch as key influences for the album.[3]

Promotion and release

Underscores launched the "Wallsocket era" with a trailer on April 21, 2023.[4][5] Wallsocket was promoted with an ARG; websites centered around the fictional town of Wallsocket, Michigan began appearing online as a Discord community uncovered information about the album's lore.[2]

The album's lead single, "Cops and Robbers", was released on May 3, 2023.[6][7] The second song released from the album was "You Don't Even Know Who I Am", released on June 7, 2023.[8] Wallsocket was officially announced on July 12, 2023 with another single, "Locals (Girls Like Us)" with Gabby Start.[9] On August 16, 2023, Underscores shared the fourth and final promotional single for the album, "Old Money Bitch".[10]

Wallsocket was released on September 22, 2023 via Mom + Pop Music.[11]

Composition

Wallsocket has been described as containing influences of hyperpop,[12] garage rock,[2] funk, dubstep, trap, punk,[12] electronica, metal, hardcore,[13] bedroom pop, roots, and industrial rock.[1]

In describing the album, Underscores stated that she "emerged from an obsessive episode adopting this mentality that everything is beautiful. Wallsocket is about realizing that most things are, but not everything is. Wallsocket is about navigating adulthood as an American and reckoning with one's circumstance."[11]

The album cover references an apolitical interpretation of horseshoe theory, which is a theme of the album. Underscores explained, "Where in our lives are we so one thing that we wrap back around and become its opposite? That theory is riddled throughout the album."[14]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
DIY[15]
Dork[16]
The Line of Best Fit9/10[1]
Slant Magazine[12]

Wallsocket received critical acclaim. Steve Erickson of Slant Magazine rated the album 3.5 stars, and called it "electrifyingly unpredictable."[12] In a four-and-a-half star review, Lisa Wright of DIY described the album as "the sound of an artist operating entirely, brilliantly on their own terms."[15] Ali Shutler of Dork gave the album four stars, calling it "an attention-grabbing album that'll keep you coming back as the intricate world reveals itself."[16] In a 9/10 review, Matthew Kim of The Line of Best Fit named Wallsocket as Underscores' "masterpiece", saying that "if it doesn't propel her into indie stardom, we've all done something wrong."[1]

Hometown Tour

On June 5, 2023, Grey announced the "Hometown Tour," a 21-show concert tour in support of the album, alongside opening acts Torr and Jedwill[17]. The tour began on October 1 in Washington D.C. and concluded on November 8 in Atlanta, Georgia. A European/United Kingdom leg of the tour, titled "Hometown Tour: The Away Games," featuring opening acts Thoom and Babymorocco, began on November 30 in London, England and is set to conclude on December 12 in Paris, France.[18]

The show's visuals consisted of a six-by-eight foot screen with rear projection, with visuals by Noah Beanlette, CarlosKnowsNot, Digiyams, Ein, Elegy, Internet Girlfriend, Michiel Stender (a.k.a. Toasted Sushi) and Tekkons, alongside lighting design by Tessera Skye.[19] Starting with the show in Brooklyn, New York on October 4, a disclaimer in large text was added to the visuals during the transition between "Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" and "Johnny Johnny Johnny"[20]

The next song is Johnny Johnny Johnny. If you have to step out of the room, please do so now.

Setlist

Act 1

  1. "Cops and Robbers"
  2. "Second Hand Embarrassment"
  3. "Kinko's Field Trip 2006"
  4. "Heck"
  5. "You Don't Even Know Who I Am"

Act 2

  1. "Northwest Zombie Girl"
  2. "Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"
  3. "Johnny Johnny Johnny"
  4. "Girls and Boys"
  5. "Old Money Bitch"
  6. "Criminal"

Act 3

  1. "Your Favorite Sidekick"
  2. "Geez Louise"
  3. "Uncanny Long Arms"
  4. "Spoiled Little Brat"
  5. "Good Luck Final Girl" (Instrumental)
  6. "Locals (Girls Like Us)"

Tour dates

Hometown Tour[21]
Date City Venue Opening Act
October 1 Washington D.C. Union Stage Torr
October 3 Philadelphia The Foundry
October 4 Brooklyn Music Hall of Williamsburg
October 5 Cambridge The Sinclair
October 7 Montreal Cabaret Foufs
October 8 Toronto The Garrison
October 10 Detroit El Club
October 11 Chicago Subterranean
October 13 Saint Paul Turf Club
October 19 Seattle Neumos Jedwill
October 20 Vancouver Fortune Sound
October 22 Portland Holocene
October 24 San Francisco The Independent
October 25 Los Angeles The Roxy
October 27 Santa Ana Constellation Room
October 28 San Diego Soda Bar
October 30 Phoenix Valley Bar
November 2 Austin Antone's
November 3 Houston Bronze Peacock Room
November 5 Dallas Studio at the Factory
November 8 Atlanta Purgatory at Masquerade
Hometown Tour: The Away Games[22]
November 30 London Heaven Thoom
December 1 Manchester The Deaf Institute
December 2 Glasgow Room 2
December 4 Bristol The Exchange BabyMorocco
December 5 Brussels Botanique Thoom
December 6 Utrecht Ekko
December 8 Berlin Lark
December 9 Warsaw Voodoo
December 10 Prague Bike Jesus
December 12 Paris Le Point Ephemere

Track listing

All lyrics are written by April Harper Grey, except where noted; all music is composed by Grey.

Wallsocket track listing
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Cops and Robbers" 4:26
2."Locals (Girls Like Us)" (with Gabby Start)
  • Grey
  • Gabriel O'Leary
4:18
3."Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" 4:09
4."You Don't Even Know Who I Am" 4:04
5."Johnny Johnny Johnny" 4:05
6."Shoot to Kill, Kill Your Darlings" 5:04
7."Horror Movie Soundtrack" 3:52
8."Old Money Bitch" 4:06
9."Geez Louise" (with Henhouse!)
  • Grey
  • Henson Popa
7:21
10."Seventyseven Dog Years" 4:35
11."Uncanny Long Arms" (with Jane Remover)
5:27
12."Good Luck Final Girl" 3:29
Total length:54:55

Notes

  • All track titles are stylized in sentence case.
  • "Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" contains additional vocal ad-libs from Ayodeji Ogunlana (a.k.a. Ayodeji) and Henson Popa (a.k.a. Henhouse!)[23]

Samples

  • "Locals (Girls Like Us)" contains a sample of "Touch Me", as performed by Alisha Warren.[24]
  • "You Don't Even Know Who I Am" contains extracts from the 2000 video game Dance Dance Revolution 4thMix.[25]
  • "Uncanny Long Arms" contains a vocal track from "Kinko's Field Trip 2006" and its respective demo "Inlaws", as performed by Grey.[26]

Personnel

Musicians

  • Gabriel O'Leary – additional vocals (2)
  • Ayodeji Ogunlana – additional vocals (3)
  • Henson Popa – additional vocals (3, 9)
  • Jane Remover – additional vocals (11)

Technical

Artwork

  • Lee Jing Wei – artwork render[27]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "underscores: Wallsocket Review - narrative driven success | Pop". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Shutler, Ali (September 6, 2023). "Underscores: "I think hyper-pop is officially dead"". NME. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  3. ↑ Lesuer, Mike (September 21, 2023). "underscores' Wallsocket Influences Playlist". FLOOD. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Mom+Pop Inks Underscores". Hits Daily Double. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  5. ↑ underscores Wallsocket era-Trailer, retrieved September 22, 2023
  6. ↑ "underscores". SoundCloud. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  7. ↑ "underscores' "Cops and Robbers" Is a Melting Pot of HyperPop Mastery". Ones To Watch. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  8. ↑ "underscores Shares New Single "You don't even know who I am" & Announces 'Hometown Tour'". Mom+Pop Music. June 7, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  9. ↑ "underscores announces new album Wallsocket, shares "Locals (Girls Like Us)" [with gabby start]". The FADER. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  10. ↑ Taylor, Sam (August 17, 2023). "underscores has released a new single, "Old Money Bitch"". Dork. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  11. 1 2 "underscores Shares New Album Wallsocket". Mom+Pop Music. September 22, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Erickson, Steve (September 18, 2023). "Underscores Wallsocket Review: Electrifyingly Unpredictable". Slant Magazine. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  13. ↑ Mellen, James (September 19, 2023). "underscores - Wallsocket album review: innovation marks a new era for hyperpop". overblown.co.uk. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Underscores – Wallsocket – (Vinyl LP)". Rough Trade. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  15. 1 2 Wright, Lisa (September 20, 2023). "underscores - Wallsocket". DIY. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  16. 1 2 Shutler, Ali (September 20, 2023). "Underscores – Wallsocket". Dork. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  17. ↑ underscores 'Hometown Tour' announcement, retrieved December 4, 2023
  18. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  20. ↑ underscores live at music hall of williamsburg | 10.04.2023, retrieved December 4, 2023
  21. ↑ "hometown — underscores". underscores.plus. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  22. ↑ "hometown — underscores". underscores.plus. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  23. ↑ underscores – Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, retrieved November 29, 2023
  24. ↑ "underscores & gabby start - Locals (Girls like us) Lyrics". Genius. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  25. ↑ underscores - You don't even know who I am (Updated Sample Source), retrieved November 29, 2023
  26. ↑ underscores — Inlaws (demo), retrieved November 29, 2023
  27. 1 2 "Wallsocket by underscores". Genius. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
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