CHVRCHES’ Lauren Mayberry has been teasing the release of her first full-length solo project via a string of stellar singles in recent months. Today (Oct. 29), she confirmed that her buzzed-about LP, Vicious Creature, is set for release on Dec. 6 via Island Records.
The 12-track album serves as a space for Mayberry to explore new sonic territory while examining the people and events that helped shape her. Along with a fresh and experimental soundscape, Vicious Creature promises an intimate look into her own perspectives on self-identity and nods to the women who inspired her along the way.
“So much of this process has been an exercise in empowering myself to listen to my own intuition – something I really trained myself out of,” Mayberry shares in a statement. “That’s ultimately why you start making things – because you felt a feeling, and you wanted to articulate that somehow. I think it was important for me to relearn that kind of independence, and recognize what I bring to any table I choose to sit at.”
Her latest pre-release single, “Crocodile Tears,” was co-written by Mayberry, Matthew Koma, and Ethan Gruska. This bold 80s-inspired bop finds the multi-talented 37-year-old embodying “a sort of character where I could really let go of the idea that I need to be ‘nice,’ because I think that holds so many women back in their lives,” she explains. “If I didn’t have to be seen as ‘nice,’ I would feel comfortable telling certain people to fuck off when they treat me like shit – on this record, and in these songs, I get to do that.”
Next year, Mayberry will also embark on an extensive North American tour, which kicks off Jan. 28 in San Diego. She’ll take the stage in theaters and club venues across the U.S. and Canada, including stops in Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto, Los Angeles, Austin, and Nashville. Fans can find a complete list of upcoming live dates, along with ticketing information, by visiting Lauren Mayberry’s official website.
Watch the official visualizer for “Crocodile Tears” below:
Vicious Creature track list:
1. “Something in the Air”
2. “Crocodile Tears”
3. “Shame”
4. “Anywhere But Dancing”
5. “Punch Drunk”
6. “Oh, Mother”
7. “Sorry, Etc”
8. “Change Shapes”
9. “Mantra”
10. “A Work of Fiction”
11. “Sunday Best”
12. “Are You Awake”
