BAILEN, Lucy Clearwater
Alex Brown
The three members of Bailen through a broken car window.
Bailen
BAILEN’s acclaimed 2019 debut, Thrilled to Be Here, featured anthemic folk-pop; they switched it up for synth-pop and some occasional banging beats for 2023’s Tired Hearts. Judging by the singles released ahead of their album set for release Sept. 25, the trio may combine the two approaches on SWIM!!! But no matter the setting, their indelible sibling harmonies provide a musical through-line. With Lucy Clearwater.
$25 ($22 adv.).
media release: Scrappy, self-reliant, and fully independent, NYC sibling trio BAILEN return stronger than ever with their bold new summer single, "SWIM!!!" The track marks the band's first independent release since 2023's critically acclaimed Tired Hearts (Fantasy/Concord) and follows their celebrated 2019 debut Thrilled to Be Here (Fantasy/Concord).
An indie-rock declaration of freedom, "SWIM!!!" finds BAILEN diving headfirst into their next chapter. Equal parts cathartic and catchy, the song celebrates letting go of the people, places, and systems that convince you you can't make it on your own.
The song was born from a near-death experience. After surviving a high-speed hit-and-run car crash virtually unharmed (and then being recognized by one of the first responders as a member of BAILEN) Julia Bailen was left with a newfound "fuck it" mentality and a euphoric sense of total abandon. The experience inspired her to write the verse that ultimately became "SWIM!!!"
“SWIM!!!” is about breaking away from systems and relationships that make you believe you can’t survive without them,” the band shares. “It’s the freedom of jumping into the deep end and discovering you can swim. This song is our summer anthem. As we reflect on the past and look to our future, this song embodies the courage and freedom of new beginnings.”
Alongside the new single, BAILEN also announce their forthcoming North American SWIM!!! At Your Own Risk Tour. Kicking off this August, the run will bring the trio to Seattle, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Nashville, and more.
BAILEN is comprised of Julia Bailen (guitar & vocals), Daniel Bailen (bass), and David Bailen (drums). Raised in New York City by two freelance classical musicians, the siblings grew up immersed in both classical music and rock & roll.
Their two studio albums, Thrilled to Be Here (2019), produced by John Congleton, and Tired Hearts (2023), produced by Brad Cook, earned critical acclaim and a devoted fan base. Rolling Stone praised their debut as an "impressive debut," drawing comparisons to CSN, Fleetwood Mac, TLC, and HAIM. To date, the band's catalog has amassed more than 50 million streams, while their single "I Was Wrong" reached the Top 20 on Billboard's Adult Alternative Airplay chart. NPR also named "Something Tells Me" one of the Best Songs of 2019.
BAILEN has appeared on CBS Saturday Morning and The Today Show, collaborated with Amos Lee and Trousdale, and toured alongside Hozier, Amos Lee, The Lone Bellow, and more.
Stay tuned for more from BAILEN soon.
