On How to Dress Well’s fourth LP, Care, Tom Krell sings about what it really means to care for others, for the world, and for himself, with a voice which has more clarity and depth than ever before.
Care is an exploratory, journeying record in which Krell employs a broad range of distinct styles and emotional tones in pursuit of the knowledge of what it really means to be a human facing very real issues in the world and how to do that in the truest way he can.
We recently tasked Krell with the job of taking us through his new LP, track by track, to give us an insight into the unique and beautiful record.
Can’t You Tell
This song is the feeling of when you’re first falling for someone and all you want to do is be around them, hear them speak, grab onto their body. When somehow you’re able to live off sex and no sleep because of the energy of love that embracing you.
Salt Song
I received a letter from a fan after a show and he told me that my music was, for him, primarily an exchange of trust and grace. I couldn’t believe how beautiful this was, I was so touched. I just started thinking more and more about this and Salt Song grew from wanting to honour that feeling.
What’s Up
Me and cfcf wanted to make a song that was unabashedly, almost goofily joyous— like we were listening to ‘steal my sunshine’ and we were like—- let’s make something like this! and then of course i was like— it’s got to be a beautiful love song too.
Lost youth / Lost you
Love is actually extremely hard. This song is about that. It’s a sad, sad song.
The Ruins
The world is extremely fucked up — the 21st century so far has been pretty nightmarish! This song is about my life in this new and violent and frightening century.
Burning up
This song is about not being able to ask for care, not being able to cry for help even though your heart’s on fire.
I Was Terrible
This is a song I made based on a sample from David Mahler’s ‘only music can save me now’— an oft neglected piece of piano minimalism that I have been in love with since it came out. It always struck me as having a pop-punk/ sixteen candles kind of vibe lurking in the background, so I started writing that song and it just felt so good and nostalgic and beautiful.
Anxious
This is the most experimental song on the album— an attempt to take perhaps the most intensely philosophical lyrics i’ve ever written and combine them, formally, with the most bubbly pop I could muster. I did this because this is what life feels like to me, the way I fit into life in this century.
Time Was Meant to Stay
I wrote this for my friend Jojo because I wasn’t being a good friend. He studies physics and I always ask him to explain to me how despite the truth of the second law of thermodynamics we are able to love each other. That’s what i sing about.
Made a Lifetime
This song feels so beautiful to me. When I listen to it I can hear and feel myself singing with a sweet smile on my face. This song will be one I cherish until the day I die.
They’ll Take Everything You Have
This song is about life under neoliberalism and the debt economy and the rabid anti-sympathy that attends this. It’s about how fucking hard it is to care under current social conditions— it’s a protest song.
International Tour Dates
Sept 23rd – Bottom Lounge w/ Lydia Ainsworth – Chicago, IL
Sept 24th – 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN
Sept 26th – Pyramid Scheme – Grand Rapids, MI
Sept 27th – Shelter – Detroit, MI
Sept 28th – Mod Club – Toronto, ON
Sept 30th – Sinclair – Toronto, ON
Oct 1st – Boot & Saddle – Philadelphia, PA
Oct 4th Webster Hall w/ Lydia Ainsworth – New York, NY
Oct 6th – U Street Music Hall – Washington, DC
Oct 8th – The Earl – Atlanta, GA
Oct 9th – Hi-Ho Lounge – New Orleans, LA
Oct 10th – Cambridge Room @ HOB – Dallas, TX
Oct 11th – Parish – Austin, TX
Oct 13th – Crescent Ballrom – Phoenix, AZ
Oct 14th – Regent w/ Lydia Ainsworth – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 15h – Treasure Island – San Fran, CA
Oct 18th – Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR
Oct 19th – Neumos – Seattle, WA
Oct 20th – Biltmore – Vancouver, Canada
Nov 10th – Point Ephemere – Paris, France
Nov 11th Botanique – Rotonde – Brussels, Belgium
Nov 14th – OT301 – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nov 15h – Hakken – Hamberg, Germany
Nov 16th – Gretchen – Berlin, Germany
Nov 18th – Rust – Copenhagen, Denmark
Nov 19th – Debaser Strand – Stockholm, Sweden
Nov 21st – Village Underground – London, UK
Nov 23rd – Stereo – Glasgow, UK
Nov 24th – Band on the Wall – Manchester, UK
