Hello, MS MR. And goodbye, MS MR.
The New York alt-pop duo of Lizzy Plapinger (LPX, Neon Gold Records) and Max Hershenow (alexmaax) has returned after a seven-year hiatus, but it’s a short stay. They’ve today (September 6) released two new farewell songs: A yearning original titled “Saturn Return,” and a cover of Harvey Danger’s forever unfuckwithable ’90s teen angst anthem “Flagpole Sitta.”
Not a bad way to dip.
The new music coincides with the 10-year anniversary of MS MR’s debut album Secondhand Rapture, which gave the band its biggest hit in “Hurricane.”
When we realized we were coming up on the 10-year anniversary of our first album, Secondhand Rapture, we knew we wanted to do SOMETHING,” write MS MR. “It felt like the right time to finally bring the band to a formal end while also celebrating and thanking our fans and each other for such an exciting and meaningful time in our lives… Secondhand Rapture took us from creative dreamers to realized artists, from small hometown shows in New York to venues, festivals and radio stations all over the world.”
They continue: “Looking back, it’s clear that MS MR taught us to trust our instincts and vision, and to meet those impulses with play, curiosity, and dedication. That ethos has gone on to be a crucial blueprint for each of us in our own work and lives. With an enormous amount of gratitude, we’re ready to move on from the MS MR project – we’ve each developed into new people with expanded ambitions, interests and tastes. But we’re excited and committed to continuing to be a part of one another’s personal and creative lives. So while this is the end of the band, it’s not the end of our collaboration on each other’s work as LPX and alexmaax. Our new, final single ‘Saturn Return’ is a promise of that. We hope this last musical offering as MS MR gives you the sense of joy and closure it brought us. Thank you for letting us into your lives – it changed the course of ours forever.”
And hell, we’d be remiss if we didn’t include MS MR’s note about the Harvey Danger cover, of which they write: To be honest, ‘Flagpole Sitta’ was a pretty spontaneous choice. Lizzy found herself consistently returning to it during the pandemic for its lyrical narrative and nostalgia, but it was Max who quickly realized that its melodies, harmonies, and lyrics all felt like something we might have written. It was wildly fun to make, as evident in its bombast and energy, and it feels right to end our time as a band with a cover, just like we playfully began!”
Peace out.