Released: 07/10/22
Joseph Stevens’ third Peel Dream Magazine album, Pad, marks a bold sonic shift from indie pop to a lush baroque pop infused with vibraphone, chamber strings, nylon-string guitar, and vintage synths. A conceptual tale of exile and self-discovery, it follows Stevens’ surreal journey after being kicked out of his own band, blending influences from Burt Bacharach, ‘60s Beach Boys, Tropicalia, and library music. Balancing whimsical escapism with darker reflections on isolation and uncertainty, Pad offers a dreamy, eerie mix of easy-listening textures and quirky experimentation, embodying both personal and cultural unrest through a vividly imaginative lens.