Atlanta’s Lunar Vacation “Set the Stage” for Second Album With Atmospheric First Single

On Decatur, Georgia, “pool rock” quintet Lunar Vacation’s forthcoming sophomore album, Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire (Sept. 13, Keeled Scales). Our first taste of the LP is “Set the Stage,” released this week alongside a music video directed by musician, actor and friend of the band Finn Wolfhard.

“Our last album was super produced, manicured,” vocalist/guitarist Maggie Geeslin said of Lunar Vacation’s 2021 debut full-length Inside Every Fig Is a Dead Wasp in a statement. “This one’s organic. We embraced mistakes; it made the work even better”—hence, Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire.

A fittingly titled first single, “Set the Stage” centers the lovelorn lyricism of vocalist/guitarist Gep Repasky, who holds such strong feelings for a wayward friend, it hurts. “I feel like crying evеry second / That I think of your complexion,” they confess over oceanic rock, polished to gleaming by producer Drew Vandenberg (Faye Webster, Toro y Moi, of Montreal). Repasky and Geeslin’s guitars feel larger than life, framed by Matteo DeLurgio’s keys, and built on bassist Ben Wulkan and drummer Connor Down’s strong foundation.

“This was the first love song I wrote about someone and then sent it to them. That is the first and last time I will ever do that. Love can make you do really strange things,” said Repasky. “It took some convincing on my end to fully realize this song, but that’s the best part about making music with my bandmates; they are the voice of reason and I trust them. So once the walls were down, we went in blazing, and changed the vibe of the sad, acoustic demo to the monster that it is now.”

In the Wolfhard-directed video, meanwhile, dancers Elana Wulkan and Annie Freeman appear to represent the romantic push and pull of Repasky’s narrator and the object of their affections—they orbit one another as if drawn together by unseen forces, coming close together, then exploding apart. It’s not until the second verse that Repasky appears, relaying their longing in direct address to Wolfhard’s camera. Before they know it, Repasky is wrapped up in the dance, pulled this way and that, until the bridge, when they start to establish a stage presence of their own, acting to protect their heart.

Wolfhard said of the video, “When I listened to ‘Set The Stage’ I was taken by how atmospheric it sounded. The feedback and droning guitars made me think of dark and rich environments. Gep’s beautiful melody offsets the darkness by bringing a levity and brightness. The goal was to have that melody reflected by dance, choreographed by the amazing Elana Wulkan. […] I’m honored that Lunar Vacation asked me to direct this video for them, and even more honored to call them friends.”

Lunar Vacation have a handful of shows supporting Vacations set for late July and August, and will play a hometown in-store show at Atlanta’s Criminal Records to mark the Sept. 13 release of their new album. More U.S. shows follow in the fall, both headlining and in support of Manchester Orchestra and Thrice.

See the details of their new album and complete tour itinerary below.

Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire Track List:

1. Sick

2. Set the Stage

3. Tom

4. Erase All The B’s

5. Bitter

6. Fantasy

7. Just for Today

8. Better Luck

9. You Shouldn’t Be

Lunar Vacation Tour Dates: