Kate Nash Talks "My Best Friend Is You," Announces Spring Tour

After releasing her hit 2007 debut Made of Bricks, Kate Nash got sick of her career. "Touring and doing loads of work all the time was a drag, and I became unenthusiastic about it," says the British indie-pop singer. "I took a lot of time off so that I could do, like, normal things: hang out with friends, watch films, read books." Now, Nash is ready for round two: her second album, My Best Friend Is You, will be out April 20th, and six days later, she'll kick off a nine-date North American tour.

On her new LP, Nash lightens up on her trademark piano pop in favor of slightly punky, girl-group-inspired tunes like "Do Wah Doo" (watch the video above!) and "Kiss the Grrrl" — a nod to her recent obsession with Billy Childish poems ("I love the harshness and dirtiness of them") and the Shirelles, the Chiffons and the Ronettes. "These girl-group songs sound really joyous, but the lyrics are quite dark and heartbreaking," she says. With that dichotomy in mind, Nash and her producer, ex-Suede guitarist Bernard Butler, crafted deceivingly upbeat songs like "I've Got a Secret," about coming out of the closet. (Nash also plays drums on the song.) "Someone close to me was going through that recently, and it was a stressful situation," she says. "It's sad that someone would have to defend themselves for being gay in 2010."

This summer, Nash will hit the road for a few dates with the all-female traveling festival Lilith Fair. "It's really exciting, because it has a great history rather than just being a big party," says Nash. "It's a lot of girl power."

Get the lowdown on 40 more of the spring's biggest albums.

April 26 - Toronto, ONT @ Mod Theatre
April 28 - Boston, MA @ Great Scott's
April 29 - New York, NY @ The Bowery
May 1 - Williamsburg, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
May 3 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
May 5 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
May 7 - Seattle, WA @ Neumo's
May 8 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
May 11 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

More Song Stories entries »

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