Ella O’Connor Williams took on the alias of Squirrel Flower for her songs and poems as a child. She sang with the Boston Children’s Chorus, and began learning how to play guitar. Then as a teen, she began writing, recording, and performing her own songs. Now, at age 23, she's continuing to use the moniker for her debut LP I Was Born Swimming, out January 31st via Polyvinyl.
The forthcoming full-length was tracked live at The Rare Book Room Studio in New York City with producer Gabe Wax (Adrienne Lenker, Palehound, Cass McCombs). On the moody, passionate first single "Red Shoulder," Williams said in a press release:
“Red Shoulder” is a song about destabilization and dissociation. Something soft and tender becomes warped and sinister, turning into sensory overload and confusion. How can something so lovely turn painful and claustrophobic? The song ends with a heavy and visceral guitar solo, attempting to reground what went awry.
Squirrel Flower will embark on a North American tour in 2020, including a Saturday, March 28th show at Barboza. Check out all the dates below, along with the video for today's Song of the Day, directed by Laura-Lynn Petrick who says she strived to "highlight the similarities between dreams and reality with Ella as she experiences a sequence of strange deja vus.”
TOUR DATES:
Fri. March 6 – Middletown, CT @ Mac 650 Art Gallery &
Sat. March 7 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott &
Wed. March 11 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade &
Thu. March 12 – Philadelphia, PA @ Everybody Hits &
Sat. March 13 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd &
Mon. March 23 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge *
Wed. March 25 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo *
Thu. March 26 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill *
Sat. March 28 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza *
Sun. March 29 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *
Tue. March 31 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court *
Thu. April 2 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge *
Mon. April 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry *
Tue. April 7 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas *
Wed. April 8 – Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s *
Fri. April 10 – Toronto, ON @ Drake Hotel &
Sat. April 11 – Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo &
% = w/ Loving
*= w/ Why Bonnie
& = w/ Cedric Noel
