Just Penelope releases new single and video ‘Be Gentle’ via Angel Tapes / Fire Talk
Bloomington, Indiana noise rock trio Just Penelope has released their new single and video, ‘Be Gentle,’ out now via Angel Tapes / Fire Talk Records. The release follows the band’s signing to Angel Tapes, the emerging artists imprint of Fire Talk Records, home to acts such as Shower Curtain, Jawdropped, and Sleeper’s Bell.
Opening with the intimate strum of an acoustic guitar, ‘Be Gentle’ unfolds as a slow-burning meditation on vulnerability and self-awareness. Ella Curiel’s emotive vocals guide the song through layers of lap steel, banjo, piano, upright bass, and subtle synths. The track draws from the lineage of country-tinged alternative rock, swelling toward a textured, reverb-soaked close that captures the heightened emotions of youth.
Of the song, Just Penelope shared:
“‘Be Gentle’ has a development that no other single of ours has. Each section of this song is placed in an ever-maturing room that continues to increase in size until the song fades out – signaling a never-ending expansion. More layers join the texture and fill out ear-candy frequencies as the chorus comes through for the first and only time just for the song to close out drenched in reverb. The space grows as the words “be gentle” are finally uttered, words that should have been said much earlier.”
Formed at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, Just Penelope—comprised of Ella Curiel (vocals/guitar), Ethan Cantrell (drums/vocals), and Drew Goforth (bass)—have quickly become a staple in the Midwest’s independent music scene. Known for blending indie, alternative country, and melodic shoegaze influences, the trio brings a studied yet organic touch to their songwriting.
‘Be Gentle’ is available now on all streaming platforms via Angel Tapes / Fire Talk Records.
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