Texas genre-bending psych outfit Leon III has returned with a new single, “This Whisper Is Ours”. The new track, released on Friday, follows “Fly Migrator” as the second single from the band’s upcoming sophomore album, Antlers in Velvet, out on March 5th, 2021.
The band, led by Andy Stepanian and Mason Brent who command a cast of rotating characters, is far from a household name at this point. For 15 years, Brent and Stepanian played in Wrinkle Neck Mules—a more conventional, honky-tonk band that put out six albums. Then in 2018, the two musicians decided to—as Stepanian put it, “crack out of the formula”—and form Leon III.
Building off the same open-concept musical direction of “Fly Migrator”, and Antlers in Velvet as a whole, “This Whisper Is Ours” drops into a dreamy soundscape. Drifting, tremolo-infused guitar patterns coalesce with sobering snare drums and are finally met with textured synthesizers. As Stepanian’s vocals come in, the music melds listeners to their seats for the six-and-a-half minute sonic journey. Though the song itself sounds laid back, the lyrics were inspired by a not-so-chill true crime story.
“There was a particularly grizzly incident in Houston, (where I lived when I was writing songs for this album) where a couple paid a hitman to kill both of their former spouses,” Stepanian told MxDwn. “The ‘hitman’ proved to be an undercover police officer. I typically don’t get inspired by stuff like this but ‘This Whisper is Ours’ pulled from that tale. The song is hardly a literal recap of the story but an exploration of sharing a secret with someone.”
Listen to the new single from Leon III, “This Whisper Is Ours”. Visit the band’s website to pre-order Antlers in Velvet, out March 5th, 2021.
Leon III – “This Whisper Is Ours”
