• News

• All

Jul 11, 2023 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Eve Neuhart

Al Heaney has been a longtime devotee of vintage pop songwriting, first as part of the band Jungle Green and most recently under his solo moniker, Essential Forever. As Essential Forever, Heaney steps into the shoes of a forgotten pop hitmaker, channeling the feeling of discovering an unexpected gem buried in the record store bargain bin. He debuted in 2021 with his album There’s A Lot Still To Say About Essential Forever, and he’s set to return later this year with a self-titled sophomore album.

Essential Forever sees Heaney expanding his ‘60s and ‘70s baroque pop influences with new flourishes, drawing from Laurel Cayon folk singer/songwriters and hints of off-kilter indie rock. He also worked with Ben Varian (Pearl & The Oysters) and songwriter Ryan Pollie for tracking & production, along with recording parts of the album at Jonathan Rado’s studio. The record is out everywhere on August 23rd and Heaney has already teased the album with his latest single, “Getting Easier.” Today, he’s back with another new track, “Why Should I Wait,” premiering with Under the Radar.

The opening notes of “Why Should I Wait” fade in effortlessly, bringing forth a floating and silken effort colored with gentle basslines and Moog synthesizers. The track is rendered in a sweeping vintage mode, recalling Heaney’s ‘70s touchstones filtered through the rosy haze of memory and the dreamy tinge of indie production. Meanwhile, Heaney’s vocals are crooned and celestial, joined by some swooning harmonies and twinkling keys. All the while, he delivers the track steeped in a sense of wistful yearning. That element equally extends to the lyrics, which Heaney describes as an attempt to capture the indelible feeling and newfound intimacy of falling in love.

Heaney says of the track, “I wrote ‘Why Should I Wait’ to capture the feeling of falling in love and how that changes you. The album as a whole stages intimate stories and reflections on the journey of finding oneself in the world over a jukebox nostalgic soundtrack, using different characters or points of view throughout, including my own. This song is an ode to my current relationship, specifically the early days and how my life changed as we became friends walking the streets of downtown Chicago in the evenings after my shifts as a busboy. Recording was done in Pasadena and North Hollywood, aided by contributions on drums by Ben Varian, bass guitar by Madeline Doctor, and moog synthesizer by Rias Reed.”

Check out the song below. Essential Forever is out everywhere on August 23rd. Pre-order the record here.