Fittingly, it concludes with a reprise of the beginning but this time altered by new sounds, suggesting a new perspective. The sonic texture of the song complements this lyrical journey, with a simple and sparse introduction marked by a slow burn crescendo hinting at the rupture to come, followed by an ecstatic wail of transcendent emotion. Produced by Sasami Ashworth (SASAMI) and engineered by Kyle Thomas (King Tuff), the record was not intended as a reaction to the pandemic, but it was very much the result of taking a difficult, if much-needed, moment of pause. 21 22 Duffy stated that the songs on placeholder 'are about accountability and forgiveness. Hand Habits, the project of Los Angeles-based musician Meg Duffy (they/them), new album Fun House is the most ambitious Hand Habits album to date. As they put it, “‘4th of july’ feels like trying again, rolling around in the wreckage of the past and finding new ways out of the maze of memory.” On MaHand Habits released their second studio album, placeholder, produced by Brad Cook in Justin Vernon's Wisconsin studio. The resulting EP illuminates the songwriter’s attempts to evolve beyond the confines of their past. Meg Duffy began building a reputation as a session musician and touring guitarist for singer/songwriters including Kevin Morby while. The resulting songs showcase this creatively collaborative environment, with Ashworth co-producing the lead single and Thomas co-producing “i believe in you.” Such is the strength of this relationship, in fact, that this new single just may serve as a bridge toward a greater body of work the three will ultimately create together. Duffy had relocated to a shared living situation in Los Angeles with musicians Sasami Ashworth and Kyle Thomas (King Tuff), which also housed Thomas’ studio. However, this time around home-recording didn’t necessarily mean working in isolation. While their follow-up album placeholder saw them working with producer Brad Cook at Justin Vernon’s April Base Studios and garnering praise from such outlets as NPR which called the work “their most fully realized statement” and the Los Angeles Times which praised the work as a “virtually seamless country rock album, with verses moving fluidly into choruses that travel unimpeded across sparkling, architecturally sophisticated bridges.” dirt showcases an artist returning to the fertile creative ground of their home. music scene and several years of session and touring guitar work for Kevin Morby, and a long list of other artists, Duffy released their debut album Wildly Idle (Humble Before the Void), a home-recorded, self-produced work that announced the project as a full-time affair. 2021 sees the release of a new EP, dirt (Saddle Creek), and a forthcoming LP.Dirt is the latest EP from Hand Habits, the songwriting project of Meg Duffy.Ĭomprised of two songs, “4th of july,” a simmering swell of chaos and beauty and “i believe in you,” a favorite of Duffy’s from the Neil Young canon, the EP finds the songwriter exploring themes of growth and finding ways to let go of the parts of their past that no longer serve them.Īfter cutting their teeth in the upstate New York d.i.y. Since the release of placeholder, Meg has toured and collaborated with Sylvan Esso, Angel Olsen, and Perfume Genius (in which they're a touring guitarist), among others. I don’t fictionalize much.” Instrumentally, it can be situated alongside some of Meg’s folk-adjacent contemporaries like Angel Olsen or Big Thief, and the guitar work on it proves that Meg continues to be one of the finest young musicians working today.

The songs on placeholder are about accountability and forgiveness,” Meg explains. From Snail Mail’s explosive breakup anthems to the Armed’s conceptual fireworks, Lucy Dacus’ home movies to Mdou Moctar’s virtuosic guitar anthems, these. Two years later, Hand Habits returned with their sophomore album, placeholder. 'When the pandemic happened, everything stopped.

Hand Habits’ debut album, Wildly Idle (Humble Before The Void), released by Woodsist Records in 2017, was entirely self-produced and recorded in Meg’s home during spare moments when they weren’t touring. Fun House is Duffy's most ambitious Hand Habits album to date. The Hand Habits project emerged after Meg moved to Los Angeles it started as a private songwriting outlet but soon evolved into a full-fledged band with Meg at the helm. Meg Duffy grew up in a small town in Upstate New York and they cut their teeth as a session guitarist and touring member of Kevin Morby’s band.

Hand habits