Straight White Teeth

“This feels like a new phase for Straight White Teeth, a new approach that’s paying dividends; like the song title [Flowering], this a musician on the verge of coming into full bloom.” - For The Rabbits
On Costilla, the forthcoming album from Straight White Teeth, musician and writer Patrick McGuire exchanges sardonic synth-laden indie pop for sincere acoustic guitars and lush layered vocals to build affecting songs that are shaped by the comfort of nostalgia as much as they are by modern dread. With an unapologetic penchant for the pensive folk music of Nick Drake and Elliott Smith, McGuire croons about a surreal, real life encounter with a dog, suffering through a serious bike accident in Philadelphia, and criss-crossing North America in search for a home.

Featuring new interpretations of previously released songs like “Flowering” and “The Night Washes Its Face” along with new tracks, Costilla weaves together a disparate array of folk sounds and stories personal and imagined into a singular earnest musical statement marked by its startling intimacy and bucolic, windswept grandeur.





Under its gauzy facade, Charming Pet GIFs details McGuire’s perspective on how the widespread proliferation of affordable broadband internet has changed the way we, as humans, interact. “It's an album that explores humanity's fraught relationship with the internet,” explains McGuire. “It explores things like internet addiction, singularity, and the idea that the internet is a massive, messy reflection of humanity––war, sex, friendship, communication, loyalty, betrayal, etc.”


An honest and atmospheric record, Charming Pet GIFs is a timely exploration into the dark aftereffects of a life lived constantly on the internet. A reactionary piece of art, the resignation and lamentation in McGuire’s voice is palpable; yet the record is flecked with splashes of hopeful optimism. Seemingly futile concerns about things such as climate change and online privacy are mitigated by the idea that genuine human love is enough to get us through the uncertainty that lies ahead. And with that, it’s easy to find comfort in this record; knowing that in the end, we all just want to be loved. McGuire explains, “This is a dark, pensive album hiding underneath deceptively buoyant songs. I hope it's something people can find solace in.”