Breakout indie-pop band Beach Bunny share lead single “Good Girls (Don’t Get Used)” to announce their sophomore EP, Blame Game, due January 15 via Mom+Pop Music. The Chicago-based group, led by Lili Trifilio (vocals, guitar), includes Matt Henkels (guitar), Anthony Vaccaro (bass), and Jon Alvarado (drums).
Videos by American Songwriter
Beach Bunny’s new single arrives on the heels of February’s Honeymoon—their highly acclaimed, pre-pandemic debut. Shortly after this introduction, the world shut down. “Good Girls (Don’t Get Used)” is among the tracks they wrote during quarantine. Without distraction, each song from the upcoming EP reflects on raw emotions that isolation brought to light.
In August, the band emerged with four solid selections. They brought to the studio in Chicago Joe Reinhart (Hop Along, Joyce Manor, Modern Baseball, Remo Drive) produced Blame Game.
The single, produced by the front person and creative force behind Beach Bunny, Lili Trifilio, is a thematic fit into the EP’s keyhole. Where Honeymoon centered on the highs and lows of new love, Blame Game aims at toxic masculinity, sexism, and the emotional labor of unreliable relationships. “Good Girls (Don’t Get Used)” kicks off the collection, delving into toxicity with brazen lyricism.
“As a veteran of engaging with emotionally unavailable people, I wanted to create a sassy song that calls out players by talking down to them as if they were children, showing that poor communication skills and mind games are immature,” Trifilio explains. “It shifts the blame to the person that was acting disrespectful, instead of myself. The song also hammers home the point that I know my worth; I’m not afraid to call out players on their stupid behavior, and I’m not going to tolerate being thrown around emotionally.”
To celebrate the EP announcement, the band also release an official music video for “Good Girls (Don’t Get Used).” The video, directed by Lua Borges and produced by Everybody’s Baby, employs imagery of arcade-style games to deliver a humorous condemnation of child-like behavior.
Between Honeymoon and the anticipated Blame Game, Trifilio dug into her solo artistry with a personal singer-songwriter/producer project, Tiger Lili. The side-experiment is a creative outlet for the multi-talented musician. The act draws outside influence, which Trifilio feels does not reside within Beach Bunny. In September, she introduced “Lightning,” an Americana-inspired track that comes with a stirring music video, shot in the woods of Illinois.
“As a fan of many genres, I want to have the freedom to explore songwriting in all forms,” the artist explains. “I cannot predict what stylistic choices I will make in the future, but I am certain that whatever I release, that I will only put my best work forward. Art is limitless, and I choose to write without limitations.”
Watch the video for Beach Bunny’s “Good Girls (Don’t Get Used),” below. Pre-save Blame Game ahead of January 15.
