LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS - No More Goodbyes
With a new album from LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS just around the corner, the Ohio indie rockers bring you the second preview single: “No More Goodbyes”, hitting all digital platforms accompanied by an all-new video on October 4. The followup to their global indie radio hit “Hello Operator”, it sets the stage for the announcement of the bands' keenly-awaited third full-length record.
“No More Goodbyes” follows close on the heels of August's “Hello Operator”, a track whose rapturous reception on indie radio worldwide amply demonstrated that our LIBRARIANS – singers/guitarists RAY CARMEN and MIKE CROOKER, now operating as a two-man band with a bigger, brighter sound than ever – had not missed a step on the journey from their 2020 debut Long Overdue to the 2022 breakthrough Handclaps & Tambourines to their forthcoming third record. And it continues the deepening of their sonic and lyrical ambitions while retaining the jangling, hook-based sound for which they've become renowned. Always a band to wear their hearts on their sleeves, Librarians With Hickeys turn outward to offer a message of hope and solace on the new single, with genuinely moving results.
“No More Goodbyes” is vocalist Carmen's response to a friend of his who came out last year, and unfortunately got some push back from some of his friends. “I wanted to write something as a show of support, but without being preachy. Because, let’s face it, no matter how much someone may agree with your point of view, no one likes to be preached at, especially me”, Carmen says. “I wanted the lyrics to be sort of non-specific so that anyone going through any kind of a change hopefully might be able to relate.”
“Also, although you probably wouldn’t hear it, Elvis Costello is a major songwriting influence for me. A few years ago, I had written the vaguely Costello-ish line I’ll help you put them out of your misery and had been trying to use it in a song ever since! This song was the perfect opportunity. We are not a political band”, Carmen concludes, “but sometimes you kind of need to say something”.
Musically driving, the song highlights the Strat/Rickenbacker interplay the band is known for, not to mention the call-and-response at the song’s fade, with Carmen’s overlaying vocals punctuated by Crooker’s emphatic No more! No more! Evoking the classic Michael Stipe-Mike Mills REM vocal interplay. There's much more to be discovered as the new album, slyly entitled HOW TO MAKE
