Daisy Grenade is back and better than ever in their new EP, So Much To Say, released on May 15. The New York duo didn’t hold anything back, pairing gritty, honest lyrics with instrumentals that won’t leave your brain for days. Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittaker have been keeping themselves busy between the EP release and preparing for the start of their first headlining tour — the So Much to Say Tour — starting May 19 in Pittsburgh.
Three days before the release, Daisy Grenade dropped a surprise on Instagram: “So Much To Say (The Film)” was available early, allowing their fanbase to watch the full story unfold as their first introduction to each of the songs. The film features five music videos corresponding to the five EP songs in order, creating an overarching story to bring the whole body of work together. Both Nigro and Whittaker have directing credits on one of the five videos — “Bombshell” and “It Must Be Me,” respectively — further showcasing their dedication to their art and how they want every aspect to reflect their own vision.
Right out of the gate, the spunky drum beat of “A Beautiful Woman is a Weapon, I Guess That’s Why They Call Her a Bombshell” draws the listener in and forces them to sit up and pay attention. With a title like this, the vibes immediately live up to the name as the two deliver angry vocals that you can feel in your soul. With lines like “Bombshell? I’m a switchblade straight to the throat / Saint of thе end, a godless antidote,” the pair put up walls of confidence and strength against the listener. As the track evolves, however, the bridge lets the listener peer through the cracks a bit, singing “Smile sick to play the game / Wrap me up in cellophane / You see right through, see right through, right through me.”
Bringing the short film into the conversation, the use of cassette tapes is seen throughout all five videos. They appear first when the duo finds them stashed inside their house and immediately sets out to destroy them. During the bridge, when the lyrics become more vulnerable, Nigro and Whittaker are suddenly wrapped up and trapped in the tape and have to free themselves from it.
“Emily” begins with a classic electric guitar riff as Nigro sings, “Dear Emily / I hope this email finds you well,” giving a nod to the many references of the same name before it. Between novels, songs, and the “Dear Emily” column in the newspaper, the theme of looking back in retrospect to a failed relationship, a personal hardship, or just a missed opportunity is very prevalent and continues into the theme of this song as well. The sarcasm drips off this song in the most satisfying way, with lines taunting “Emily” with “Are you still seeing whats-his-face? / He kind of sucked / But I hope you’re happy.” A picture is painted of a perfect, popular girl who ruined the singer’s life in the past, and now they are back to confront her about it.
The film expands on this even further and adds more depth to the song as the duo have very different motives for how to deal with Emily. Nigro sings with anger and malice, hoping to get revenge on Emily for what she did to her in the past now that she’s returned. Whittaker, however, sings with something close to admiration, crawling across the dining room table to her because she can’t resist her no matter what she may have done.
“I worship you / So come bless me / And spit me out / Please Emily”
The dichotomy between the two singing the same song with completely different motives adds much more depth to the track that could otherwise be missed by the casual listener.
Daisy Grenade celebrates the EP release with behind-the-scenes footage of recording certain tracks.
“Girls Are So Lucky,” the lead single from this EP, released a month ago and was the perfect start to the era. This high-energy, bubblegum punk track details life on tour as a female-fronted band. Pairing that upbeat guitar riff with raw, personal lyrics is a staple of a Daisy Grenade song, and they pulled it off perfectly with this track.
Bringing the energy way down and getting more introspective, “Rent To Own” is a vulnerable ballad about the struggles of wanting someone who’s willing to invest in you as a person. Comparing a relationship to leasing a car, the song details how they just want someone who will slow down and put in the work to love them the way they deserve, despite their own flaws.
“For two thousand bucks she’s the ride of your dreams / Until your brakes fail, you make bail and ditch it.”
The metaphor of wanting to rent-to-own a relationship is unique, wanting the other person to see how they truly are and accepting them enough to commit to them even after the trial period of dating. Going so far as to hide parts of yourself to appease a new partner is touched on in the second verse when Nigro sings about her crooked teeth: “I shut my mouth whеn I smile / Wire my jaw if it means that you’ll stay for a whilе.” The uncertainty of putting all of your trust in someone to care as much as you do is terrifying and the visuals accompanying the track, saturated in deep blues alongside stark stillness, drive home that fear of being too much or too loud.
Finishing off with “It Must Be Me,” the raw emotion conveyed in this track is hauntingly perfect.
A voicemail recording introduces the track, folding the EP title into the last line before the music kicks in to bring the full story together.
“I have so much to say, so just give me a call back.”
The starts slow, building on itself until the bridge seeps into your veins as Nigro and Whittaker sing over one another, begging to be heard. They repeat, “It must be me / It must be me,” over each other, convincing themselves that they’re to blame for a failed relationship they tried so hard to save. Being able to convey the desperation of wanting answers for why it’s not working with someone, while simultaneously blaming yourself and being blamed by the other person is such a complex emotion, but they capture it perfectly.
As the song progresses, the chorus evolves from “I’m safe, you’re always sorry / Missed the invite to your party,” into “I’m safe, and I’m not sorry / Saw the pictures / Fuck your party,” as the two realize that they’re better off without the relationships that were burdening them so much. The film finishes with both of them sitting on the kitchen floor, labeling the cassette tape that has followed them as a possible show of acceptance that it’s a part of their story without letting it ruin their lives anymore.
With a solid discography under their belts already, So Much To Say feels like the perfect next step in Daisy Grenade’s story, cementing the duo as a powerful force in the scene. The creativity and dedication to every aspect of this rollout is admirable, and opting for an unorthodox release worked well in allowing them to share this story exactly the way they wanted to.
With the tour quickly approaching, fans are eager to hear these songs live for the first time and scream along to every word.
Watch “So Much To Say (The Film)” here.
Catch Daisy Grenade on tour here.
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