At Refinery29, our ethos of discovery means we are always keeping our ears to the ground, hoping to unearth the very best new artist or an exciting collaboration from a musician we already know and love. That is to say, we take our music very seriously. We don't put our stamp of approval on anything that we wouldn't load directly into our own audio devices first. So, you can believe our excitement over this new video of Semi Precious Weapons' "Healed" from its new album, Aviation (out April 22). Here's what you gotta know:
Who? Semi Precious Weapons, the band unafraid to parade around in a good pair of heels.
How long has it been around? SPW has been making the cool kids dance since 2006.
What does it sound like? Glittery pop with a deep soul.
When should you listen to it? Their louder tracks are made for nights of debauchery, but stripped-down songs like "Healed" are just right for the moments after said debauchery.
If this song was an ice cream flavor, it would be: A mystery blend leaning towards the sweeter end of the spectrum.
It's been four years since Semi Precious Weapons released a new album. And, since then, their sound has grown from grunge pop-rock into something uniquely SPW: theatrical pop-rock designed to make its listeners dance. SPW tries on different hats on Aviation, and wears them all well — like, real well. But, amid the heavy drum and synths of "Look To The Stars" and "Aviation High," tracks like "Healed" unplug to show how versatile its sound really is. Justin Tranter's vocals are just as powerful when sung over lavishly produced sounds as they are when it's just him and a piano. What we have here is a brand-new, mature Semi Precious Weapons, a band we'll be seeing a lot more of once Aviation officially drops on April 22.