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Oct 11, 2021 By Caleb Campbell

Self-described queer swamp pop act Bruisey Peets has already taken several left turns in their career. Beginning in DC as the solo project of singer/songwriter Ben Usie, Bruisey Peets’ first few records were intimate electronic affairs, filled with an array of synth and samplers. As Usie moved to New Orleans, they became performing solo guitar sets, then formed a four-piece guitar band, and finally began anchoring his songs in his piano-driven “swamp pop.”

With his new album, Poached Eggs, Usie introduces the new style with a record that is similarly eclectic. The album is one part a tongue-in-cheek take on the alienation of small-business capitalism, one part a reflection of Usie’s time in the food industry, and one part a thoughtful reflection on loss. The band has already shared the record’s title track and today they’re back with their follow-up, “Onions,” premiering with Under the Radar.

“Onions” is a lovely dream-like waltz, anchored by a sauntering piano melody and upright bass courtesy of Bryan Webre of Lost Bayou Ramblers. It’s a leisurely stroll through love and loss, with the band coming together to craft a wistful reverie, a lovestruck daydream that Usie’s lyrics tint with hints of melancholy. The harsh realities of life crush the song’s burgeoning romance, with Usie singing on the chorus一“I guess that just might be how love works/Sometimes when you’re open and not in line.”

As Usie explains, “‘Onions’ explores that emotional duality when fantasy meets reality. Crushes can be mutual, and yet there can still be realworld factors that limit the actuality of a shared love. Savoring those boundaries is a trip in itself. I think we captured that feeling, and Lauren Hémard’s vocals really tie it all together.”

Check out the song below and watch for Poached Eggs, out November 19th. The band is also playing an album release show with Ocean Boyfriend at New Orleans’ Gasa Gasa. You can get tickets here.