Opening with a classic, breezy guitar, the newest single by Glasgow-based indie trio ‘Junior VP’ is an insanely classic college rock-esque banger. The track ‘Red Cardigan’, released on July 31st, will feature on the band’s debut album ‘Do You Feel the Same?’ and given the themes of this track alone, the album’s title seems all the more fitting.
‘Red Cardigan’ tells the story of an ever-clinging first love, a teenage romance that feels as though it will never let you go. It’s a song about the head and heart being at war inside of you. With the head knowing you should never see someone again, knowing you are not a priority in their life. But the heart is not able to ever let go. This whole idea is encapsulated in the line,
‘No way, I can’t see you again. Oh Grace you and your red cardigan.’
It shows directly how love can tear a person apart. The refusal to see someone again, but the sweet, tantalizing memories of the good times you had, of the person you fell in love with.
There’s also something incredibly poignant about a song telling the story of the pain of a first teenage love, with the indie, 90’s emo-ish sound that the band have. The band have stated that they are incredibly inspired by classic American college rock, which helps to give such a track real emotional leverage. It really feels like the soul of a young 20-something reflecting on their high school years which have since passed, has been spilled onto a page.
It is an amazingly gorgeous song, which will be running round your head for weeks, and clinging to your heart – just as a first love would.
Make sure that you check out the song on Spotify here;
Trust me, once you’ve listened once you will have to just listen again and again – soon, like me, you’ll be sitting and waiting eagerly for the debut album coming in 2027 which doesn’t feel soon enough! Junior VP are the kind of band you can’t help but feel excited about, I certainly haven’t been able to at least.