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Apr 19, 2023 By Mark Redfern Photography by Amanda Jasnowski Pascual

Mega Bog (aka Erin Birgy) is releasing a new album, End of Everything, on May 19 via Mexican Summer, her first for the label. Now she has shared its third single, “Cactus People,” via a self-directed music video. Watch it below, followed by Mega Bog’s upcoming tour dates.

Birgy had this to say about “Cactus People” in a press release: “This song is a transparent call to practice addressing what lies at the feared feet of abandonment. All of a sudden I realized I was running away, with a black widow bite, collapsing on a trail several hours out of town, alone. Reacting to something inevitable, something I desired even, and taking notes of images arising while pitting emotionality against logic. At the time they felt like enemies, but somewhere in there was a seed wailing, ‘just watch yourself unfold.’”

Of directing the song’s video, she adds: “While making the video for ‘Cactus People,’ similar thrills and fears had me run to Greece, where I watched old patterns rear their noses once more, but with a brazen clarity—geographically, surrounded by new and inspiring friends, all with that ancient, echoing reminder of the stones we were born to bear, who we’ll have to embrace as company to find any peace throughout this life.”

Previously Mega Bog shared the album’s first single, “The Clown,” via a self-directed music video. “The Clown” was one of our Songs of the Week. Then she shared the album’s second single, “Love Is,” via a music video. “Love Is” featured backing vocals from Westerman and was also one of our Songs of the Week.

End of Everything is the follow-up to 2021’s Life, and Another, released via Paradise of Bachelors.

Birgy co-produced the album with James Krivchenia of Big Thief, who also mixed the record and co-engineered it with Phil Hartunian. Krivchenia also plays drums on the album, which also features regular Mega Bog bassist Zach Burba, alongside Will Segerstrom, Meg Duffy (Hand Habits), Jackson Macintosh (Drugdealer, TOPS), and Westerman.

As Birgy got sober and started to work through her personal traumas, she decided to make a more direct record, writing on piano and synthesizer instead of guitar.

In a previous press release Birgy said she had the need “to feel… instantly. I didn’t want to dig into secret codes. I no longer wanted to hide behind difficult music. I was curious to give others the same with the music I create; to make music someone could use to explore drama, playfulness, and dancing, to shake the trauma loose.”

Mega Bog Tour Dates:

Wed. May 31 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right ^
Fri. June 2 - Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room *
Sun. Aug. 13 - Glasgow, UK @ The Hug & Pint
Mon. Aug. 14 - Manchester, UK @ YES (Basement)
Tue. Aug. 15 - Brighton, UK @ The Prince Albert
Wed. Aug. 16 - London, UK @ The Lexington
Thu. Aug. 17 - Sun. Aug. 20 - Brecon Beacons, UK @ Green Man Festival

^ = w/ Mary Jane Dunphe
*= w/ Julius Smack

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