After announcing a tour last month after three years away, Sleigh Bells have detailed their upcoming seventh album Bunky Becky Birthday Boy, which arrives April 3 via Mom + Pop Music.
The band, comprised of Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller, shared that the album takes its title from the nickname of Krauss's dog Riz, who died in December 2023. Miller shared of the title, "When [Riz] passed away, Alexis and I had been talking about writing an anthem for her. And then Alexis's son Wilder was born, and he's the birthday boy. Even though the title sounds a little ridiculous — and it's totally okay to laugh at it — with a little bit of context, it's actually life and death. We lost somebody that we love, and we gained somebody that we love."
Following the release of the record's first single "Wanna Start a Band?," the duo have also shared album opener "Bunky Pop" with an accompanying music video. "We wanted the track to sound like a dog having the best moment of her life without any of the burden of self consciousness," Miller continued. "'Bunky Pop' informed the entire record, and Bunky Becky kind of became a character woven into every song. We wanted to give her a friend, Roxette Ric, so we could play with a little bit of autobiography and fiction as well."
See the tracklist for Bunky Becky Birthday Boy and watch the music video for "Bunky Pop" below.
Bunky Becky Birthday Boy:
- Bunky Pop
- Wanna Start a Band?
- Life Was Real
- This Summer
- Can I Scream
- Badly
- Blasted Shadow
- Real Special Cool Thing
- Hi Someday
- Pulse Drips Quiet