Talking Kind announce debut album + release new song "Trouble"

Today, Talking Kind — the solo project of Philadelphia DIY veteran Pat Graham — has announced that they will be releasing their debut album, It Did Bring Me Down, on September 8th via Lauren Records. The album was written, produced, and performed by Graham himself, and can be pre-ordered here.

Accompanying the album announcement, Talking Kind has released it’s new single, “Trouble.” The single features guest appearances from Radiator Hospital’s Sam Cook-Parrot and The Goodbye Party’s Michael Cantor, and taps into Graham’s softer side.

With whispered vocals and hushed instrumentation, all recorded into an old 4-track, the song is vulnerable but funny, embracing the honesty that comes with having a big mouth. Expanding on the new single, Graham explains that “Trouble” was inspired by his own catchphrase. “I’m a Libra, so I get called out for playing both sides,” Graham says. “One week I’ll love a movie, the next I’ll be laying out all of its flaws. ‘I just say shit,’ is my response to these arguments. I also just say inappropriate or uncomfortable stuff a lot. While it makes me self-conscious, I ultimately embrace it. There’s a lot of posturing in life – I am happy to be the rude but lovable rascal at the water cooler.”

Backed by a self-deprecating sense of humor that his therapist calls “worrisome,” Talking Kind presents Graham with an opportunity to explore being totally honest with himself. With It Did Bring Me Down, the seasoned DIY songwriter is able to marry his stripped down, pop-driven songwriting to an attitude of being so “over it” that life is a breeze.

“For years, I was writing songs for the listener,” says Graham, “this is the first time I sat down and wrote songs for myself. I didn’t delete the weird guitar tones, I kept the “do it again” takes, and I tried to make myself laugh with the lyrics. It has been a freeing and completely terrifying experience.”