Late last year, Chicago's V.V. Lightbody shared a very pretty song called "Best Problem" with strings from Macie Stewart. Now, the singer-songwriter is announcing her new album Period Piece to follow 2020's Make A Shrine Or Burn It, and it's her first with herself as the lead producer. The exquisite second single, "Practice Smiling," is out now.

"I always imagined 'Practice Smiling' opening up Period Piece because it so clearly hits one of the major themes of the album, which I like to describe as 'loosening up the life corset,'" she begins, continuing:

I started writing this song when I went to my first rock show in Chicago after things had opened back up in 2021. Everyone was remembering how to be together in a room again — it was exhilarating and stressful. Does my smile look okay? How do I order a drink? I felt stiff, but eager to settle in. I danced with abandon after the show and ended up throwing out my back when I took off my sweater. In that moment, I so clearly felt the passage of time and a surprising nervousness that had built up in my mind and body, forcing me to reassess my social confidence which I feel like I am still gaining back. This song also touches on a frustration I have with the current state of live music, where getting people to leave the comfort of their home and come to a show feels like an increasingly difficult task. 

Lightbody's voice is gorgeous, but her flute really steals the spotlight in "Practice Smiling." Watch the accompanying video directed by Bobby Butterscotch below.

TRACKLIST:
01 "Practice Smiling"
02 "Satisfied"
03 "Best Problem"
04 "Two Swans"
05 "There Will Be Blood"
06 "Precious Moments"
07 "Dull Knife"
08 "Robocaller"
09 "Patience Like A Pilot"
10 "Blue Within Blue"

TOUR DATES:
09/27 - Urbana, IL @ Pygmalion Music Festival
10/15-16 - Chicago, IL @ The Hideout
11/12 - New York, New York @ The Broadway

Period Piece is out on 10/9 via Egghunt Records. Pre-order it here.