Lutalo — the Minnesota-bred, Vermont-based project of producer/songwriter Lutalo Jones — presents the new single/visualizer, “PLPH,” from their forthcoming EP, AGAIN, out August 25th on Winspear. “PLPH,” an acronym for “Pretty Little Painted House,” sees Lutalo expand their sonic palette into fuzzy, distorted indie rock, both a stark contrast to and natural extension of lead single “Push Back Baby.” On “PLPH,” Lutalo’s ever-kinetic compositions reach new heights atop overblown guitar, all while remaining distinctly Lutalo by way of lyrics that critique the ails of American life.

“The core idea behind ‘PLPH’ is reflecting on living in the United States,” Lutalo says. “The pretty little painted house is referencing the White House, the symbol of the United States government and status quo. The song is speaking about the struggles of navigating the political structure in America as a racially marginalized person/person of lower income.”

After about a year of getting acclimated to life in Vermont, Lutalo then wrote the two EPs, and then recorded the tracks in a nearby cabin with friend and collaborator Patrick Hintz. Once Now, Then Again is acoustic-driven and gentle, like the lush natural environment of the forest thrush, while AGAIN is potent and knotty, like the restless inner workings of Lutlao’s mind.

Through their music, but also through their lifestyle that’s alternative to America’s economic and political systems, Lutalo asks listeners to imagine new possibilities: “I want to help people question the way they’re living so we can create a better reality for us to exist in together.”

Photo Courtesy: Aily Zeltser